A major mishap was averted by a timely rescue in coastal Odisha district of Balasore on Sunday when a boat carrying 25 persons capsized in Budhabalanga river.
According to the police officials, the boat carrying the passengers capsized near Haldia ghat under Remuna block in the evening after losing balance. “However all of them were rescued safely. A few of them swam back to the shore,”said Balasore SP Jugal Kishore Banath.
In another case of boat capsize in Dhenkanal district on Friday night, Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force(ODRAF) and Fire Services personnel continued to search for four people on Saturday who went missing after their boat capsized in Brahmani river in Dhenkanal district.
Kamakshyanagar sub- collector Bishnu Prasad Acharaya said nine people had taken a boat from Khadakprasad ghat for Kundandeipur ghat across Brahmani river when it lost balance and capsized in the middle of the flooded river. Among the nine people, six were daily labourers, one was a mushroom seller and two others were boatmen.
While five of the nine men managed to swim ashore, four others went missing during the incident.
“The fire personnel and ODRAF have been pressed into action since Saturday night but the missing four persons are yet to be traced. We have also engaged a team on the other side of the river near Gangijodi ghat,” he said.
