Chhattisgarh woman dead, seven missing as boat capsizes in Mahanadi in Odisha

ONE PERSON died and seven went missing when a boat carrying them capsized in the Mahanadi river in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district Friday.

The deceased is a 35-year-old woman from the neighbouring state of Chhattisgarh. The missing persons comprise four women and three children. All of them are from Raigad district of Chhattisgarh, said officials.

The boat was ferrying over 50 people from Kharsia area in Raigad to a temple in the middle of the river under Ambabhona block of Odisha’s Bargarh district. The vessel capsized midway.

Local fishermen rescued around 35 people. police, fire service personnel and senior district officials rushed to the spot to over see search and rescue operations.

Raigad district collector Kartikeya Goel, who reached the spot, said: “We are getting full cooperation from the Jharsuguda district administration. The Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force personnel are carrying out search operations while scuba divers from Bhubaneswar are also being deployed. The evacuees have been taken to a safe shelter and given food. We will send them to their homes.”

The search operation was continuing late into the night.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed concern over the incident and announced an ex-gratia of `4 lakh for the family members of the deceased persons. Patnaik also directed the Chief Secretary and Special Relief Commissioner to coordinate the operation.

As per the CM’S directions, at least five scuba divers and two search cameras were sent to Jharsuguda by special flight, said officials.