Bhubaneswar: A herd of eight elephants, including a tusker and four calves, has found itself stranded on a small island at Kularikuda in the Mahanadi river after being swept away by the floodwaters.
The elephants took shelter at a temple on the island. Upon receiving information about the stranded herd, a special team of forest officials rushed to the riverbank and began monitoring the elephants’ movement using drone cameras.
According to the Boudh Divisional Forest Officer, the herd is expected to float down the swollen river from the Athamallik area under the Madhapur range in Angul district.
To ensure the safety of both humans and elephants, the forest department has disconnected the power supply in the surrounding villages as a precautionary measure. The forest officials are keeping a close watch on the situation, ready to intervene if necessary to prevent any possible conflict between humans and elephants.