Patna, June 10 (IANS) Three women were reported missing after a boat carrying farmers capsized in the Kosi River in Bihar’s Darbhanga district while they were on their way to harvest ‘moong’ (green gram) crops from their fields on Wednesday morning, officials said.

The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) has launched an intensive search operation.

According to an official, the incident took place near the ring embankment at Tarwara Ghat under the jurisdiction of the Jamalpur police station area.

Around 10 farmers, most of them women, were travelling together in a single boat to cross the river when the vessel lost its balance in the strong current.

Eyewitnesses said that due to the heavy flow of water, the boat began taking in water and overturned shortly thereafter.

Panic spread among the passengers as they struggled to save themselves in the river.

SDRF personnel Ravindra Kumar, who was present at the place, managed to rescue 7 individuals and take them to the riverbank. However, three female farmers, including a teenage girl, were swept away by the strong current and remain missing.

The survivors immediately informed the local administration about the incident.

Following the accident, a large number of villagers gathered along the riverbank, while rescue operations were initiated by the administration.

Upon receiving information, Biraul Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Shashank Raj and SDPO Prabhakar Tiwari reached the spot to assess the situation and supervise rescue efforts.

Officials confirmed that an SDRF team has been deployed to trace the missing women.

“An SDRF team is searching for the missing persons following the report of the incident. Details regarding the event are being gathered, and further necessary action will be taken,” SDO, Biraul, Shashank Raj, said.

The incident has once again raised concerns regarding the safety of river transportation in flood-prone regions of Bihar.

Notably, just a day earlier, another boat carrying around 20 farmers capsized in the Kosi River in the Saharsa district.

Fortunately, all its passengers were rescued safely by local villagers.

–IANS

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