Two bank employees die in flooded underpass

New Delhi: In a heartbreaking incident late Friday night, two bank employees tragically lost their lives after their SUV got submerged in a flooded underpass in Old Faridabad. The victims, Punyashreya Sharma, branch manager of HDFC Bank in Gurugram's Sector 31, and Viraj Dwivedi, a cashier at the same branch, were on their way home to Faridabad when they were caught in severe floods due to persistent heavy rains in the National Capital Region (NCR).

The incident occurred when the Mahindra XUV700 they were travelling in entered the Old Faridabad railway underpass, which was submerged in water following the recent heavy downpour. Despite visible warning signs, the duo continued to drive into the underpass, but their vehicle soon got stuck in the rising water level.

Rescue efforts were hampered by high water levels. Both men attempted to escape the SUV and swim to safety, but conditions were too much for them. Rescue teams arrived at the scene shortly after the vehicle sank. Sharma's body was recovered from the vehicle, but Dwivedi's body was found only after an extensive search that lasted into the early hours of Saturday morning.

The local police had to stop the traffic at the underpass and a drainage process is currently underway to remove the excess water. Due to the incessant rains that have affected large parts of the NCR, the area is battling severe flooding and traffic congestion.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued an orange warning for heavy to very heavy rainfall for Thursday and Friday, attributing the storm to a low-pressure area over southwest Uttar Pradesh. Rainfall in Delhi has exceeded 1,000 mm this month, the highest since 2021 and the second highest in at least a decade.

As the rain continued on Saturday too, a yellow alert for moderate rain was issued. The persistent weather conditions have caused major disruptions across the region, including traffic congestion in major areas like Hero Honda Chowk, Rajiv Chowk and IFFCO Chowk in Gurugram.

This tragic event highlights the dangers posed by extreme weather conditions and is a stark reminder of the importance of heeding weather warnings and exercising caution in adverse weather conditions.