Odisha: 70-year-old woman rescued after drifting 30 km in river

A 70-year-old woman named Kesi Dalai survived for 12 hours after being swept away in Odisha's Brahmani River, drifting 30 km before being rescued. The incident comes as monsoon floods wreak havoc in the state, particularly in Mayurbhanj district.

A 70-year-old woman, Kesi Dalai, was rescued after surviving nearly 12 hours in the Brahmani River and drifting around 30 kilometres downstream after being swept away while she had gone near the riverbank on Saturday.

Dalai, a resident of Kalakhand village, was found near Pattamundai in Kendrapara district by two youths travelling in a boat. They rescued her and provided first aid before taking her to a local hospital.

Woman Recounts 12-Hour Ordeal

The rescued woman, Dalai, speaking to ANI, said, "It was around 10 PM on Saturday. I had gone to the riverbank to relieve myself... I didn't realise the ground was uneven or slippery. As soon as I stepped down, my foot slipped... and suddenly, I was swept into the middle of the river... I remained afloat in the water from 10 PM until 10 AM the next morning, when I reached near Pattamundai. Two people were passing by in a boat. I raised my hand; they came towards me, pulled me into the boat, and gave me clothes to wear. They rubbed my body to warm me up, then called an ambulance and took me to the hospital..."

An individual, Ashok Pani, said, "When the incident came to light, everyone started shouting and searching... She was found in Pattamundai... She was saved by God himself... There are a lot of crocodiles in the river..."

Odisha Floods: River Embankment Breaches in Mayurbhanj

The incident comes amid monsoon rains and flooding reported across parts of Odisha, with several rivers swelling and inundating low-lying areas.

On Saturday, the embankment of the Gangahar River in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha has breached near Kunchibania village under Managobindapur Panchayat in Badasahi block. The breach has inundated large stretches of agricultural land, with acres upon acres of farmland reported damaged by the floodwaters.

Local residents have been trapped in the rising water. An Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) team has launched rescue operations to evacuate those stranded and provide assistance.

This incident forms part of the wider flooding affecting Mayurbhanj, where heavy monsoon rains and swollen rivers have submerged villages across multiple blocks, including Badasahi. Authorities have relocated thousands of people to safer locations, opened relief camps, and deployed ODRAF and fire service teams for ongoing rescue and relief work. Agricultural losses are significant in the affected low-lying areas, disrupting livelihoods for farming communities.

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