A tourist boat named ‘Royal Vasishta’ carrying 61 passengers capsized in swollen Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh, leaving at least 13 people dead and many others missing on Sunday afternoon, the state government said. The mishap took place near Kacchuluru village in Devipatnam Mandal of the East Godavari district.
Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Jagan Mohan Reddy is scheduled to embark on an aerial survey of the area at 9.45am today. Reddy spoke with the concerned officials immediately after the incident. He ordered them to take up rescue operations at once.The CM also announced a financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh each to the kin of the deceased.
The CM also ordered the authorities to suspend all boat services right away and asked to check licenses, fitness and other details of boat operations in river Godavari.
The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) has already confirmed about the number of deaths. Out of 61 people on boat, 50 were tourists and 11 were boat staff. They were on a trip to see Papikondalu hills near the Godavari river.
Two National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been sent for rescue operations. Two boats of the tourism department are also part of the rescue operations. A team of deep divers from the Indian Navy also reached the accident site at Kachhuluru and joined the NDRF and State Disaster Response Force personnel in the search for the missing passengers. A helicopter of the ONGC has been pressed into service for the rescue operation.
The tourist services were halted earlier because of the river had been receiving flood water of almost 5 lakh cusecs till Saturday. With floodwater receding, the officials gave permission to the tourist boats on Sunday.During the time of accident,over 5.13 lakh cusecs of floodwater was flowing.
PM Narendra Modi shocked and expressing his sadness over the incident, tweeted, “Extremely pained by the capsizing of a boat in Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari. My thoughts are with the bereaved families.”
The tourists were mostly from Hyderabad and Warrangal in neighbouring Telangana and CM K Chandrasekhar Rao announced an ex-gratia of Rs five lakh each to the bereaved families from his state and deputed ministers to coordinate in the relief works and help the injured.
