Two ferries in Majuli with over a hundred passengers collided and capsized in the Brahmaputra river.
Catch all the latest updates from this developing story here:
Majuli’s Garamur University student Parineeta Das has reportedly died in the Nimatighat ferry accident. She was admitted to the Jorhat Medical College and Hospital in a serious condition where she breathed her last.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to twitter to assure people of Majuli of all possible support. All possible efforts are being made to rescue the passengers, he said in his tweet.
Atleast 4 people, including 1 child have reportedly lost their lives in the ferry accident.
Rescue forces have reportedly recovered 1 body from the site while 30 still remain missing.
Jorhat Deputy Commissioner Ashok Barman told PTI that 41 people have been rescued so far and no body has been found yet. “We cannot say right now how many people have died,” a senior official of Jorhat district administration said.
“The boat ‘Ma Kamala’ capsized and then sank. We do not have much detail at this moment,” an official of the Inland Water Transport (IWT) Department said.
CEO of the state disaster management authority G D Tripathi confirmed that there were 120 passengers on board and over 100 people have been rescued so far.
Assam CM tweeted that Union minister Amit Shah had called to enquired about the unfortunate incident and took an update on the ongoing rescue operations. The Central Government is willing to help in all its capacity, he informed.
Around 60 to 65 passengers are still missing and are suspected to have drowned. Over 30 people have been saved by rescue teams so far.
The ferry Maa Kamala carrying 120 people was moving from Nimatighat (Jorhat) to Kamalabari and IWT boat Tripkai was moving from Kamalabari to Jorhat. About 35 vehicles have been lost in the accident.
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, in another tweet directed DCs of Jorhat and Majuli to undertake relief and rescue operations on war footing with help from Rescue Forces, already scouting the area. The number of victims is still being ascertained, informed the minister.
Assam Tourism Minister Bimal Borah is on his way to Nimatighat to take stock of the situation as directed by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took to twitter announcing his visit to Nimati Ghat tomorrow. He further asked state minister of Tourism Bimal Borah to rush to the accident site immediately and directed Majuli and Jorhat administration to undertake rescue mission expeditiously with the help of NDRF and SDRF.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will visit Majuli tomorrow for evaluating the situation.
The ferry service in Nimatighat was suspended for five days due to the increasing level of water in the Brahmaputra there.
The incident took place in Nimatighat between Majuli and Jorhat. According to a report by Kaziranga National Park Officials, the water there was still above the danger level.
One of the ferries, Maa Kamala, reportedly had 120 people on it and the passengers were moving from Nimatighat to Kamalabari.
NDRF and SDRF teams have started rescue operations as more than 100 are feared to have drowned, as per initial reports.
According to reports, one of the ferries was broken in half as a result of the collision.
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