Eight members of a family, including seven women, lost their lives after being swept away by strong river currents in Uttara Kannada district on Sunday. Two other people are still missing, according to police sources.
The incident took place in the Tatte Hakkalu river near Shirali village in Bhatkal taluk. Around 14 people had gone into the river to collect freshwater mussels, a seasonal activity commonly carried out by local communities living along riverbanks and coastal areas.
People dragged away by huge current
Police sources said the group had entered deeper parts of the river when the water level and flow changed suddenly. In the confusion, some people were dragged away by the current. A rescue attempt by others in the group led to more people getting caught in the fast-moving water.
“During the process, they allegedly moved deeper into the river without accurately assessing the water level. When the water flow suddenly increased, one or two persons were swept away," police said.
Rescue efforts on to locate missing people
As panic spread, several others jumped in to save those who were struggling, but they too were pulled under by the strong current. Officials said eight bodies have been recovered so far, while search operations are still on for the missing two people. Rescue teams, police, and local residents are continuing efforts along the river.
"Collecting freshwater mussels is a livelihood activity for some sections of people, similar to fishing. Many of those involved were experienced in the work and had reportedly undertaken such activities earlier as well," PTI quoted sources as saying.
Authorities are still trying to determine how many of the victims knew swimming and the exact sequence of events that led to the tragedy. The river’s flow is believed to have increased due to rainfall in the region.
