Twelve people have died and several are missing after a tourist boat overturned in the Godavari River in the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh on Sunday afternoon. There were 63 people on board the boat and 17 have been rescued, authorities said.
The boat, operated by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation, had started off for the picturesque Papikondalu hill range, a prime tourist destination, from Gandi Pochamma Temple near Devipatnam, news agency PTI reported.
The accident took place near Kacchuluru village in Devipatnam Mandal, about 200 km from Amravati.
2 teams of the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force, with a total of 140 personnel, have been sent to the accident spot for the rescue operation along with a helicopter.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “extremely pained” by the incident.
“Extremely pained by the capsizing of a boat in Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. Rescue operations are currently underway at the site of the tragedy,” he tweeted.
Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed shock over the tragedy and announced a compensation of Rs. 10 lakh each to the family of those killed.
Several politicians expressed grief.
The Godavari River has swelled in the past few days with over 5 lakh cusecs of floodwater flowing on Sunday afternoon when the incident took place.
The incident comes days after one in Madhya Pradesh where 11 people drowned during an idol immersion at the end of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
