Rescue teams in Maharashtra's Latur district recovered the bodies of five individuals swept away by floodwaters following relentless heavy rains, officials confirmed on Saturday. The tragedies, occurring amid widespread downpours that have battered the region for over two days, highlight the vulnerabilities of rural infrastructure during the monsoon season, when swollen rivers and overflowing bridges pose lethal risks to daily commuters and farmers.

The incidents unfolded on Tuesday. In the first case, 27-year-old Sudershan Kerba Ghonshetty drowned in the surging Tirru River while returning from agricultural fields; his body was retrieved on Thursday after exhaustive searches. Later that evening at around 8 p.m., an autorickshaw carrying three passengers to Malhipparga in Jalkot taluka was engulfed by strong currents as water surged over a low-lying bridge.

While three occupants were rescued promptly, the driver, Sangram Sonkamble, and passenger Vitthal Gavle were initially unaccounted for; their bodies were located on Thursday. Separately, Vaibhav Pundalik Gaikwad (24) from Uggir and Sangeeta Murhari Suryavanshi (32) were found in Dongargaon Lake, victims of the same deluge.

Multi-agency efforts involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), local fire brigades, and police persisted for nearly 40 hours, navigating treacherous waters and debris under challenging weather conditions. Officials noted that the operations were hampered by continuous rainfall, which has transformed lowlands into impassable torrents and isolated villages.

Latur, a drought-prone agrarian hub in the Marathwada region, receives erratic monsoons, but this year's excessive precipitation—over 200 mm in 48 hours—has overwhelmed outdated drainage systems, echoing similar flash flood crises in 2019 that claimed dozens of lives.

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The downpours have inflicted severe damage beyond human tolls, submerging thousands of hectares of standing crops like soybeans and cotton and partially destroying over 500 homes. Preliminary assessments estimate losses at Rs 480 crore, with a comprehensive survey underway to quantify agricultural and infrastructural impacts. State authorities have deployed relief teams, distributing essentials and urging residents to avoid flooded areas.

As the rains persist, the incidents underscore the urgent need for resilient bridges and early warning systems in Maharashtra's vulnerable interiors, where climate variability exacerbates seasonal hazards.

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