13 Dead As Boat Capsizes in Andhra
A tourist boat ferrying 61 individuals capsized killing 13 individuals in Andhra Pradesh.
The Papikondalu hills in Andhra Pradesh are a very famous tourist spot. To tour the hills you need to take a boat on the Godavari river. Godavari river had been receiving a lot of flood water till Saturday. So tourist services were stopped on the river. When the flood water reduced, the officials gave permission to start tourist boats on Sunday.A boat was carried 50 tourists and 11 boat staff. However while the boat was moving it capsized. 13 people died. Almost all of the people in the boat had life jackets. Some of them reportedly swam to the bank.Around 40 people are still missing. Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy spoke with the officials within minutes after he heard about the boat overturning. He ordered officials to find people immediately.
The CM also announced a financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh. Ministers and officials have been instructed to support the affected families.Two National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams each consisting of 30 members were sent to find people. Two boats of the tourism department are also helping to rescue people. The CM has ordered the authorities to immediately stop all boat services. He has asked authorities to the licenses, fitness of boats staff and other details of boat businesses in river Godavari.PM Narendra Modi Tweeted about the incident and said that, he is extremely pained by the overturning of the boat in Andhra Pradesh. He offered his condolences to the families. He even said that officials are working hard to rescue people.
