Boat with over 35 people capsises in Orissa

A boat carrying more than 35 people, including school students, capsised while crossing the Budha river at Champachhanda ghat in Orissa's Jajpur district on Wednesday evening, officials said.

A boat carrying more than 35 people, including school students, capsised while crossing the Budha river at Champachhanda ghat in Orissa's Jajpur district on Wednesday evening, officials said. Twenty-five people have been rescued so far.

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"A boat has capsised in the Budha river at about 4.30 pm. I heard the news and am rushing to the spot. There were some schoolchildren on the boat. Twenty-five people have been rescued so far," District Collector (Jajpur) Dhiren Das said.

Some people were rescued down the stream. Several people are still missing and rescue operations to find them are continuing, officials said.

The district administration has already pressed two boats for rescue operations. Fire department personnel have also been called for the rescue work.

The district administration has asked the Orissa Disaster Mitigation Force (ODRAF) to help in the rescue work.

According to sources, the missing include some students of Upendranath High School, Gokhna.