Two youths swept away near Gadeshwar Dam in Panvel, one body recovered

Two young men were swept away by a swollen stream near the Gadeshwar Dam in Panvel on Sunday, July 5, 2026, after heavy rainfall in the Matheran hills triggered a sudden flash flood. The incident, which occurred during a weekend outing, has left one youth deceased and another missing. Emergency responders have recovered one body from the water, while the search operation for the second youth continues.

The tragedy unfolded when the two youths visited the scenic Gadeshwar Dam area for a weekend excursion. Seeking recreation, the two men entered a nearby stream to swim. At the time they entered the water, they were reportedly unaware of the sudden surge in water levels occurring upstream.

The Gadeshwar Dam is located downstream of the Matheran hills, making the area vulnerable to rapid water rises when heavy rains hit the hills. Incessant rainfall in the nearby Matheran hills had caused a rapid accumulation of water, which quickly rushed downstream. Within moments, the calm stream where the two youths were swimming turned into a raging torrent with powerful currents.

The sudden and intense surge of water gave the duo very little time to react or escape to safety, and they were quickly carried away by the overflowing stream. The entire incident was captured on a nearby CCTV camera, showing the rapid and violent transformation of the stream.

Following the incident, search and rescue operations were initiated to locate the missing swimmers in the area. Rescuers succeeded in recovering the body of one of the youths from the water. However, the second youth remains missing as search teams continue to scan the waters and surrounding areas near the dam.