3 Drown In Varaha River, One Rescued
Three youths went missing after strong currents swept them away while swimming near a check dam in Anakapalli district.
Three persons drowned while swimming in the Varaha river near a groin at Pengollu village in S. Rayavaram mandal of Anakapalli district on Saturday. Another youth was rescued by local residents.
The deceased were identified as Muppidi Vamsi, 25, Kateti Rishi, 18, and Kodi Jagadish alias Balu, 18. The rescued youth was identified as Nitin, 18.
Vamsi worked at a private company in S. Rayavaram, while Rishi, Jagadish and Nitin worked as painters.
Circle inspector K. Ramakrishna said the four had attended the birthday celebration of their friend Digumarthi Ravi Teja, a delivery worker at a local dhaba. They later went for a swim near a groin close to a check dam.
The strong water flow and depth caught the youths by surprise. Local residents rescued Nitin, but the other three drowned and went missing. Their bodies had not been traced by nightfall.
State disaster response force personnel were deployed at the spot and would resume the search on Sunday morning, the circle inspector said.
Home minister Vangalapudi Anitha reviewed the situation and consoled the families of the victims.