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| Situation Update No. 2 Ref.no.: VI-20100130-24739-IND
Situation Update No. 2
On 2010-01-30 at 13:28:29 [UTC]
Event: Vehicle Accident
Location: India State of Andhra Pradesh Godavari River
Number of Deads: 30 person(s)
Number of Missing: 15 person(s)
Situation: The boat overturned as it was crossing the Godavari River to reach a village temple near Narsapur Mandal in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Police officers and villagers helped pull many pilgrims from the river, while some managed to swim to safety. Rescue vessels, a helicopter and divers were also dispatched to search for the missing passengers. "We have retrieved 12 bodies so far, including five women and four children. Another 20 to 25 people are still missing," said police superintendent Madhava Chary. The boat with a capacity of 50 had around 70 people on board, police said. Relatives of victims anxiously waited for news on the river banks and angrily confronted government officials who had come to inspect the scene of the disaster. The pilgrims were on their way to the temple in Antarvedi to offer prayers to mark the full moon day of Purnima. Villagers are said to often travel in poorly built and overcrowded boats to cross the Godavari River, which empties into the Bay of Bengal. Andhra Pradesh's chief minister K Rosaiah has ordered a high-level inquiry into the disaster. |  | | | |
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