70 people rescued in Odisha after boat washes away in Mahanadi river
70 people rescued in Odisha after boat washes away in Mahanadi river
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Bhubaneswar: The boat, which was swept away in the Mahanadi at Mahalalapada, Kendrapada, had 70 passengers on board. On Saturday, members of the Odisha Fire Service, ODRAF, and Marine Police carried out a daring nighttime rescue operation to save all of them.
All of the passengers were saved and taken to the Kharinasi and Bahakud jetty points by a team of fire authorities, Jamboo marine police, and local boatsmen, according to Collector Amrit Ruturah. He posted that everyone had arrived at the landmass close to the ghats and was now safe.
"The boat washed ashore close to the sea's mouth because of a strong current. Despite the danger, we managed to free all 70 individuals who were trapped there without any fatalities, Marine Police Official Prakash Chandra Sahu informed the reporters.
The motor-driven boat reportedly left Paradip in the afternoon to transport the passengers to Bahakud ghat in Mahakalpada. The boat's engine failed around halfway through the journey. The boat was driven 4-5 kilometres towards the sea by the high current of the Mahanadi, which is in spate as a result of recent heavy rain.
In the Mahanadi river mouth close to the sea, they were marooned for about two hours.
Since the district administration forbade the operation of boats on the river due to the severe depression, the people were being transported illegally. Boats were prohibited from accessing the river as floodwater from the Hirakud dam was released into the Mahanadi. Illegally, a boat service was launched. The boatman would be the target of the proper action, according to Debashis Rout, the Mahakalapada block development officer.
Another incidence involved the rescue of 12 people by the ODRAF team who were stranded in the Jalaka floodwaters in Baharda gramme panchayat of Basta block in Balasore, including 3 children.
