JOIN USGovernment agencies working in the flood hit areas of Bargarh district in western Odisha have recovered three dead bodies from a car, which was swept away while crossing a bridge last Monday.
`With this, the death toll in the current floods in Odisha has increased to ten by Thursday afternoon.
Bargarh district administration sources said the car was crossing a small bridge near the Bijepur area when water from the overflowing Uttali river washed away a portion of the bridge along with the vehicle.
The incident came to light only on Wednesday when villagers spotted the car in the receding waters and informed the district authorities.
A team of police, fire brigade and other volunteers engaged in flood relief activities rushed to the area. “Our personnel recovered the dead bodies which include one woman after breaking open the doors of the half submerged vehicle”, said a Bargarh district official.
Local people insisted that there was a fourth passenger in the ill-fated vehicle during investigations held to identify the dead persons, but the missing passenger is yet to be traced.
Meanwhile, a statement from the office of special relief commissioner(SRC) said seven districts --Jajpur, Bhadrak, Bargarh, Kalahandi, Mayurbhanj, Nuapada and Sundergarh— out of the 30 districts in the state have been affected by floods in various rivers.