Bhubaneswar, July 14 (Inditop.com) Rescue operations resumed early Tuesday to fish out a bus that fell into a rivulet in Orissa’s Nayagarh district Monday evening, killing seven people. Many are still missing after the accident.
The bus was swept away by flood waters while travelling over a culvert without side pillars on Besalia stream. It rolled into the streaml between Gania and Duspalla villages, some 70 km from the district headquarter of Nayagarh, officials said.
“Seven bodies have been fished out so far. Twenty two people have been rescued. We anticipate more casualties,” said Abanikanta Pattnaik, the block development officer of Duspalla.
Quoting the rescued passengers, the police said there were about 40 passengers in the bus, though the exact figure is still to be ascertained.
Though it is feared that people are still trapped inside the bus or swept away by the flood water, the rescue work was hit by darkness and gushing water of the stream Monday night.
“We were waiting for the ODRAFT (Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force) team to reach the spot. The team has reached and started rescue work. Our first priority would be to fish out the bus from the water,” Pattnaik said.
Seven of the rescued passengers were admitted to hospital. They have been released after treatment.
