Bhubaneswar: At least 12 people have gone missing after flash flood swept through a village near the Ganjam-Kandhamal border in Odisha following heavy rainfall on October 28.
The missing persons are residents of Gidipabali village under Baibali gram panchayat in Bhanjanagar block of Ganjam district.
According to preliminary information, around 20 to 21 villagers were heading towards a shelter home at Katijanga in Kandhamal district as rainfall intensified. However, only seven to eight people managed to reach the shelter home, while the whereabouts of the remaining 12 to 13 people are still unknown.
Reports suggest that a landslide in the hilly area triggered a sudden surge of floodwater, sweeping through the route along which the villagers were travelling.
Following the incident, the administrations of both Kandhamal and Ganjam districts have launched search and rescue operations to trace the missing persons. The Baliguda administration is also involved in the rescue efforts.
Bhanjanagar Sub-Collector Umashankar Behera confirmed the incident and said efforts were underway to locate the missing villagers.
Ganjam Police said that the search operation is continuing and further information will be shared as soon as the missing persons are traced.
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