20 drown in boat disaster in swollen Kosi

Madhepura, Aug 29 (UNI) At least 20 people drowned when an overcrowded Army rescue boat capsized in the flood waters of the mighty Kosi river near Mirganj in north Bihar this evening.

District Magistrate Rajesh Kumar, confirming the death of 20 villagers, said eight more people went missing after the Army boat carrying about 60 villagers to a relief camp overturned when some more people tried to get into it forecefully.

Among the missing was an Army jawan.

Mr Kumar said 32 people either swam to safety or were rescued by the local people and the Army jawans.

Efforts were on to trace the eight missing.

He said this was considerted to be one of the most tragic boat disasters since the flood situation turned catastrophic in north Bihar, particulatly after the Kosi breached embankments and changed its course.

UNI Team-ABA SJC AB KP215 9