At least 10 people have died and one person remains missing after a group attempting to collect clams and mussels in a river in Karnataka’s Uttara Kannada district was swept away on Sunday afternoon, officials said.
The tragic incident occurred in the Venkatapura River near Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada district when a group of 14 people reportedly entered the water between 12 pm and 1 pm to catch clams and mussels.
Confirming the incident, Uttara Kannada District Deputy Commissioner K. Lakshmi Priya said that 11 people had initially gone missing after entering the river.
“Today afternoon, around 12 to 1 o’clock, around 14 people had gone into the Venkatapura River to catch clams and mussels. Fourteen people had gone, 11 had gone missing, out of them, 10 bodies have been recovered, and one person is still missing. Search operations are ongoing, and three people were saved,” she said.
Rescue teams from the district administration, police, fire services and local fishermen were immediately deployed after the incident was reported. Divers continued search operations late into the evening in an effort to locate the missing individual.
Officials said strong currents and sudden depth changes in the river may have contributed to the tragedy. Authorities are also examining whether rising water levels due to recent rainfall affected the area where the victims had entered the river.
Eyewitnesses said panic spread quickly after several members of the group began struggling in the water simultaneously. Local residents attempted to rescue them before emergency teams reached the spot.
The incident triggered reactions from political leaders and public figures across states. Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati expressed grief over the tragedy in a message posted on social media.
“Deeply saddened by the tragic incident in Uttara Kannada, Karnataka. May Mahaprabhu Jagannath give strength to the grieving families and bless the injured with a speedy recovery,” he wrote.
The district administration has not yet officially released the identities of all the deceased, as authorities are in the process of informing families and completing postmortem procedures.
River-related accidents are frequently reported during the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons in several parts of Karnataka, especially in coastal and riverine regions where local communities depend on rivers for fishing and shell collection activities. Authorities have repeatedly advised residents to avoid entering deep river stretches during periods of fluctuating water flow and strong undercurrents.
Police have launched an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the incident while rescue operations continue for the missing person.