At least six passengers died and 42 others were injured after a bus carrying tourists overturned near Kalinga Ghat on  theGanjam-Kandhamal border late Tuesday night.

The deceased were identified as Supriya Denre, Sanjeet Patra, Rima Denre, Mausumi Denra, Barnali Manna and a cook.

Local residents along with police and Fire Service teams rescued the injured tourists from the bus. Several of them were initially admitted to the Bhanjanagar hospital. 

However, as many as 14 injured tourists were shifted to the MKCG Medical College Hospital in Brahmapur due to worsening health conditions. As per MKCG authorities, all of them have been put under critical care treatment and they are responding to it well.

The tourists from Udaynarayanpur in Howrah of West Bengal had come to visit Daringbadi. The bus carrying around 77 passengers including 40 men, 30 women and some children was returning from Phulbani to Visakhapatnam when the vehicles brakes failed near Kalinga ghat. The driver failed to steer the bus through the sharp turns in the ghat and it hit an electric pole before overturning into a gorge.

Teams from Bhanjanagar and G Udayagiri police rushed to the spot and started the rescue operation. Later fire service personnel were also pressed into action. The rescue operation continued till Wednesday morning.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives in the road mishap.

Modi in a tweet said, “I am deeply pained by the loss of lives due to a tragic accident that took place in Odisha. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. I pray that those injured recover at the very earliest.”

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also expressed grief over the death of tourists in the fatal road mishap and expressed speedy recovery of the injured.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banarjee said, “Our administration is coordinating with Odisha officials for speedy postmortem of the dead, treatment for the injured, and their return.”