Godavari floods: Boat carrying essentials to AP villages sinks, one person washed away

A boat carrying essential commodities to flood-affected villages in Andhra’s East Godavari district capsized on Thursday, and one of the four persons who was on the boat was washed away. The boat had been hired by district officials to ferry essential goods to villages which have lost road connectivity because of the Godavari floods. According to Deccan Chronicle, the person who got washed away was the 60-year-old boat owner Pentaiah. 

The New Indian Express reported that the boat had broken into two, after hitting the pillar of a bridge in Chinturu mandal. The boat capsized in the Sabari river. The boat, Sri Godavari, was reportedly on its way back to Chinturu when the accident happened. 

The three other men on the boat, Rambabu, Sattibabu and Polaiah, were rescued. Chinturu police have reportedly said that the accident occurred at around 100 metres of distance from the shore, and a search operation was launched to find Pentaiah. 

In Telangana, two men went missing on a flooded highway as they fell from their bike and were reportedly washed away in the water. Rescue personnel and police were engaged in search operations on the National Highway 163 near Mulugu on Thursday. 

Mulugu MLA Seethakka, who was overseeing the operations, said in a tweet, “Two days ago, I warned about national highway 163 flooding and resembling a river and today unfortunately two youth slipped from a bike into water and are missing. The police rescue team is in action but who is responsible for this?” 

In September 2019, East Godavari witnessed a horrific boat accident in which 46 people were killed. The boat named Royal Vashishta capsized in the Godavari river near Kachuluru village of Devipatnam mandal, which is among the severely flooded regions in the Godavari districts now. Seventy-seven tourists were on board when the boat sank.