Bhubaneswar, Dec 8: Odisha continues to witness alarming cases of drowning deaths, with official data revealing that 1,750 lives have been lost to river drownings and 82 to the sea between 2022 and 2025.

The figures -- shared by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in response to a question by BJD MLA Bibhuti Bhusan Balabantaray -- show deeply worrying district-wise patterns: Cuttack recorded the highest casualties at 179, followed by Keonjhar (160), Mayurbhanj (154), Sambalpur (107) and Kendrapara (110). In 2025 alone, 427 people have drowned across the state, highlighting an escalating public safety crisis.

The seriousness of the situation was underscored again this year by two tragic incidents. In August, a 22-year-old YouTuber from Berhampur, identified as Sagar Tudu (known online as Sagar Kundu), went missing after being swept away at the Duduma waterfall in Koraput. He was reportedly filming drone shots when a sudden surge in water left him stranded on rocks. Viral videos captured desperate rescue attempts using ropes, but the powerful current dragged him away.

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In a separate incident in Cuttack, the body of Udit Sahoo from Lingipur, Bhubaneswar, was recovered on December 4 after his car plunged into the Birupa River the previous night. While a co-passenger was rescued by locals, Sahoo remained missing until ODRAF and Fire Services divers located his body during an intensive search operation.