Bhubaneswar: A woman is feared missing after she allegedly jumped into the swollen Kuakhai River from the Kuakhai Bridge in Bhubaneswar on Friday evening. Rescue teams conducted an extensive search for over an hour but were forced to suspend the operation due to poor visibility and strong river currents.
According to officials, Fire Services personnel from the Mancheswar and Pahala stations rushed to the spot immediately after receiving an emergency alert. A four-member rescue team equipped with a high-speed inflatable boat, life jackets, boat hooks and other rescue equipment searched the river but could not trace the woman.
Senior Fire Officer Durga Parija said the search operation was halted at around 9:30 pm as darkness and the fast-flowing water made further efforts unsafe. Multiple rescue teams are expected to resume the operation on Saturday morning.
Preliminary findings by Mancheswar police suggest the incident took place at around 6:40 pm when many people had gathered on the bridge to watch the rising river. Witnesses told police that the woman, believed to be between 58 and 60 years of age, suddenly placed her bag and slippers on the bridge before jumping into the river.
Passersby immediately informed the emergency services by dialling 112, prompting a swift response from police and Fire Services.
Officials said specialised rescue units, including ODRAF personnel and scuba divers, could not be deployed because they are currently engaged in flood rescue operations in several districts of northern Odisha.
Police have recovered the woman’s belongings from the bridge. However, no identity documents were found, making it difficult to establish her identity or the circumstances that may have led to the incident.
Authorities have appealed to the public to share any information that could help identify the woman, while the search operation is set to continue with first light.