Indus Valley Times

Sudden release of water from Machkund Dam sparks fresh safety concerns at Odisha’s popular tourist spot

By Suryanarayan Panda

Bhubaneswar, Aug. 23: What began as an adventure for a 27-year-old YouTuber from Odisha’s Berhampur turned into tragedy on Friday afternoon, when he was swept away by the gushing waters of Duduma waterfall in Koraput district.

The victim, identified as Sagar Tudu, had travelled with his friend Abhijit Behera of Cuttack to capture drone footage for his YouTube channel at the scenic but treacherous falls. According to reports, Tudu lost his footing on the slippery rocks just as water levels rose abruptly following the sudden release of water from the upstream Machkund Dam, where sluice gates were reportedly opened without prior warning.

The powerful surge overwhelmed him before bystanders could respond. Behera narrowly escaped the torrent.

Local police, aided by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), have launched a massive search operation. However, Tudu remains untraceable.

This is the second such incident at Duduma in recent months. In June, a tourist went missing under similar circumstances and is yet to be found. The recurring tragedies have prompted locals to demand better alert systems and safety protocols at one of Odisha’s most visited natural attractions.

What was intended to be a thrilling video shoot ended in disaster, once again underlining the urgent need for stronger tourist safety measures around high-risk sites in the state.

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Photograph:

On the Edge of Danger: YouTuber Sagar Tudu (marked in red) is seen posing on a slippery rock beneath the Duduma Waterfall in Odisha’s Koraput district, just minutes before being swept away by the gushing waters