Pune flood toll rises to 21, five missing: Police

Police on Friday said the death toll in floods in Pune a day earlier now stood at 21, with five persons missing. Pune police commissionerate officials said 15 persons died in Thursday's floods in the state's second largest city while four are missing.

Officials from Pune (Rural) police said six people had died in their jurisdiction while one person was missing. Earlier in the day, senior Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil had blamed unauthorised construction on nullahs and streams for the flood.

Patil, who is guardian minister of the district, said probe was needed to find out who gave permissions for such construction, adding that an inquiry could begin after the end of code of conduct post state Assembly polls. Calling the flood "extraordinary", Patil said the administration was not prepared for such strong downpour, though some pre-emptive measures like shifting people to safer places in Baramati were taken.

Patil reportedly was at the receiving end of people's anger in Sahakar Nagar area where five people died in a wall collapse during Thursday's downpour. The city recorded 106 millimetres of rainfall on Thursday.

Over 3,000 people were shifted to safety on Thursday, officials had said, adding that 59 villages in the district were affected.