One person swept away as boat overturns in Konaseema

RAJAHMUNDRY: One person was washed away in a branch of Godavari as a boat capsized at Ganti Pedapudi in P Gannavaram mandal, Konaseema district.

Six people who were traveling in the boat fell in the river due to strong currents. Five of them wearing life jackets have been rescued. Chadalavada Vijay Kumar (26), who went missing was also wearing a life jacket, but it had fallen apart as the jacket’s clip loosened.

The NDRF team is searching for the missing person.

Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu announced ex-gratia for the deceased person.

Konaseema district collector R Mahesh Kumar reached at the accident spot and inspected the scene. He said that the government will support the family of the deceased in every manner as he was the only breadwinner of the family.

Six people were transporting water packets to Udimudi Lanka village, which was cut off from the mainland because the causeway to the island village, home to 4,000 residents, was submerged.

The authorities have identified ferry points that enable boats to land safely as the river is spate. The boat operator has chosen a different route to reach the village which is the shortcut as the commodities have to be taken from the boat in waist deep flood waters.

When the boat reached the new bridge which was under construction, it overturned and all the six persons traveling in the boat fell in the water.