BERHAMPUR: A five-year-old boy of Andhra Pradesh (AP) and a motorcyclist have been swept away in the swollen rivers of Rayagada and Kandhamal districts in the last 24 hours. The minor, identified as Amaresh of Eluru district in AP, went missing in the flooded Nagavali river in Rayagada on Thursday. Sources said one P Gopalkrishna along with his wife and four kids including Amaresh had come to visit Maa Majhighariani temple in Rayagada town.
After offering prayers at the shrine, the family went to the nearby hanging bridge for sightseeing. Later, three siblings including Amaresh stepped into the river to take bath but were caught in the strong river currents.
Gopalkrishna jumped into the water and managed to rescue two of his sons. He went further inside the river to locate Amaresh but was swept away. He somehow managed to cling to a boulder. On being informed by locals, fire service personnel reached the spot and rescued Gopalkrishna after an hour-long operation. While he was admitted to Rayagada hospital, his five-year-old son could not be traced till Thursday evening.
Similarly, Tapas Ghatal of Dakapala village in Kandhamal has swept away while crossing a submerged bridge over the Salunki river near Phulbani on his motorcycle on Wednesday evening. Sources said Tapas had gone to attend a feast at Chakapada on his motorcycle. While returning in the evening, he found the bridge submerged in floodwater. Due to darkness, he could not assess the flow of water and tried to cross the bridge but was swept away in the strong current.
Some locals, who witnessed the incident, informed the fire personnel who reached the spot and launched a search operation but in vain. On Thursday, the body of Tapas was traced near Kamburu village. Following heavy rains over the last several days, most of the rivers in south Odisha are in a spate. Sources said floodwater has inundated a number of bridges and roads in the region.