NEW DELHI
At least 24 people have died after a boat carrying 114 people capsized on Sunday due to overcrowding in the Hirakud Dam Reservoir in India (HDR).
Thirteen more bodies were recovered on Monday from the Sambalpur district in the Southern Indian state of Odisha, Indian media reported.
The boat was carrying passengers back from a day trip at the Hirakud Reservoir when it started to flood.
Local authorities rescued at least 80 people on Sunday evening. However, the death toll is likely to keep rising as authorities have reported seven passengers still missing.
According to P K Mohapatra, a Special Relief Commissioner, 13 bodies were found on Monday morning as scuba divers continue to carry out full searches in the region.
“The number of missing people might vary with additional information being received from local people,” Mohapatra told Press Trust of India.
Odisha state government has said it will provide $2,500 in compensation for the victim’s family members.
This is the second time this has occurred in India in the last two weeks. On January 26, an overcrowded boat capsized in India’s Andaman Island in Bay of Bengal killing 21 people.
By Mubasshir Mushtaq
