MP: Bargi Dam tragedy toll rises to 11; two more bodies recovered​

Jabalpur: Two more bodies were recovered on Saturday evening in the Bargi Dam cruise accident, taking the death toll to 11, even as the Jabalpur district administration intensified efforts to trace the missing and manage the repatriation of victims.​

The Jabalpur district administration confirmed that the bodies of two children, four-year-old Viraj Soni and six-year-old Shritamil, were recovered near the accident site and sent for post-mortem.​

The administration said the focus has shifted to locating the remaining missing persons, including nine-year-old Mayuram and 40-year-old Kamraj.​

“Multiple teams have been deployed, and the search operation has been intensified with deep-diving efforts in identified zones of the reservoir,” the district administration said in a statement.​

Personnel from the Army, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the police, and the Home Guards are working in coordination at the site.​

The administration has expanded the scope of operations by deploying additional boats and divers to cover a wider area of the dam.​

Senior officials, including Collector Raghavendra Singh and other officials from the administration and tourism department, have been present at the site to monitor the situation and coordinate the rescue efforts.​

However, adverse weather conditions disrupted the operations during the day. Strong winds, heavy rainfall, and high waves forced authorities to suspend the search operation for the night.​

“The safety of rescue personnel remains a priority. The operation will resume on Sunday morning once weather conditions improve,” said an official.​

Alongside the search operations, the district administration is overseeing the transportation of bodies to the victims’ home states.​

On Saturday, three victims from one family were sent to New Delhi via a scheduled flight, while two others were airlifted to Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. Several more bodies have also been flown to Tiruchirappalli from Dumna Airport using cargo aircraft, despite initial technical delays.​

“Efforts are being made to ensure that all mortal remains are transported with dignity and that families receive full assistance during this process,” the administration said.​

The accident occurred on Thursday evening when a cruise vessel operated by Madhya Pradesh Tourism capsized in the Bargi Dam following a sudden storm.​

The administration said it remains focused on locating the missing persons and providing all possible support to the affected families.​

IANS