By Express News Service
KAKINADA: One person was washed away in the floodwater of Godavari, while three others were rescued when the boat in which they were travelling, broke into two after hitting the pillar of a bridge on a river in Chinturu mandal of East Godavari district on Thursday.
According to information, the district administration deployed two boats to ferry essential commodities to the villages submerged in Godavari floods. One of the boats, Sri Godavari, transported essential commodities to Kalleru village upstream of Chinturu. On its way back to Chinturu, the mishap occurred.
As the flood water was flowing at a high speed, the operator could not control the boat and it hit the middle pillar of Sabari bridge on the river. The boat broke into two and one part of it was washed away in the flood water, while the other part overturned at the pillar itself.
Rambabu, Sattibabu and P Polaiah were rescued in the mishap and shifted to Chinturu hospital. Chinturu DSP Sheik Khader Basha said the boat operator Pentaiah was washed away in the flood water. A search operation was launched for the missing boat operator.
According to information, Chinturu ITDA Project Officer A Venkataramana and some other officials went to Kalleru from Chinturu to oversee relief operations in the same boat. But, they got down at Nimmalagudem village when the boat was on its return journey.
In September last year, a boat carrying more than 70 tourists to Papi Hills from Rajahmundry, capsized in the river at Kachuluru in Devipatnam mandal of East Godavari district, killing more than 50 persons.