Two brothers drown during picnic at Sitakunda waterfall in Odisha's Mayurbhanj

Two brothers drowned while on a picnic at the Sitakunda waterfall, located at the foothills of the Similipal Wildlife Sanctuary in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district, on Friday.

According to sources, a group from Bhadrak district had visited Sitakunda for a picnic. During the outing, the two youths entered the water to take a bath but failed to return. People present at the spot were unable to provide immediate assistance as the incident occurred suddenly.

On being informed, a fire services team from Shyamakhunta rushed to the spot. While one body has been recovered, rescue operations were continuing at the time of reporting to trace the second youth.

Also Read: Tragedy at Chilika: Tourist swept away while bathing at Satapada

The incident has cast a pall of gloom over the area and raised concerns over tourist safety at popular picnic and waterfall sites.

Earlier this month, a tourist drowned while bathing in Chilika Lake at the popular Satapada tourist spot under Brahmagiri block in Puri district. The mishap occurred near the Chilika mouth when the tourist, who had come for sightseeing, was reportedly caught in strong and unpredictable water currents.