BHOPAL: BHOPAL: Independence Day revelry turned into a tragedy when at least seven picnickers were swept to their death in a flash flood at Sultanpur waterfall in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh . IAF choppers and NDRF personnel are trying to rescue about 30 others, who are stranded on a rock, with water rising all around. While unofficial sources put the toll at 11, officials confirmed only seven deaths.Viral videos show a group of 8-10 youngsters desperately trying to hold on as they are pounded by the raging, churning torrent and are repeatedly swept over the edge. Those who have survived so far were lucky to be on a rock about 50 feet upstream. The group that got swept away was far too close to the edge of the waterfall. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan tweeted that seven people had been rescued and efforts were being made to recover the rest. Two bodies have been found so far — both deceased are said to be from Gwalior.Sultanpur waterfall is about an hour’s drive from Gwalior and Shivpuri on the Agra-Mumbai highway. It’s a popular picnic spot and hundreds had gathered there on Independence Day. Police said that many of them were bathing in what was then a gentle stream. Suddenly, around 4.30pm, the water level started rising. Locals screamed for the picnickers to get out immediately but many couldn’t realise they were in danger.Witnesses say that the river went from a trickle to a torrent in about 30 seconds. Heavy rainfall in the upper reaches on Wednesday evening had created the perfect conditions for a flash flood that took everyone unawares. Some reports blamed the water released from a dam, but officials denied it. Rescue operations were initially hampered due to incessant rain and it slowed down even more after dark.Shivpuri SP Rajesh Hingankar and Gwalior SP Navneet Bhasin rushed to the spot. “We are not sure how many people have drowned. We are focusing on the rescue operations right now,” said Bhasin. An SOS was sent to the IAF’s Maharajpura airbase in Gwalior and they responded immediately. Seven people had been rescued till 10pm. Those stranded are only 100 feet from the edge.

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