Odisha: 70 rescued from washed away boat on Mahanadi

Kendrapara: After the strong current in the Mahanadi river washed away a boat in Odisha, 70 people were rescued. The boat was washed away at the mouth of the sea in Odisha's Kendrapara district on Saturday, Asian News International (ANI) reported.

No causality has been reported so far.

Prakash Chandra Sahu, a Marine Police official, told ANI that the seventy, who were stuck, were rescued though the mission was risky.

The government had instructed that boats were not to enter the river.

Mahakalpada Block Development Officer (BDO), Debasis Rout, said that after flood water was released into the Mahanadi river from the Hirakud dam, boats were barred from entering Mahanadi. The washed-away boat conducted the service illegally, and therefore, action would be initiated against them, BDO said.

A deep depression has caused a flood-like situation in North Odisha.

More than 4.67 lakh people in 1,757 villages in 10 districts in the state were affected so far after heavy showers, Special Relief Commissioner PK Jena said.

The commissioner continued that 11 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), 12 teams of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRF) and 52 teams of Odisha Fire Services have been deployed in the vulnerable districts.

The state government has directed the district education authorities of affected districts to avail school buildings for relief shelters.