Shocking footage has emerged showing the moment a 22-year-old YouTuber was swept away by strong currents at a waterfall in India while filming with a drone.
Sagar Kundu, from Berhampur, was standing on a boulder in the plunge pool of Duduma Waterfall in Odisha on Saturday when a sudden torrent knocked him into the water. Bystanders attempted to rescue him, but he was swept out of view within seconds.
Police said Mr Kundu had ignored repeated warnings from friends about rapidly rising water levels. The surge is believed to have been caused by water released from the nearby Machakunda dam after heavy rainfall.
Rescuers have so far recovered only a bag containing camera equipment. The search operation has been hampered by rugged terrain and incessant rain. Local fire officer Umesh Chandra Bagh said authorities have requested the dam gates be closed to lower water levels and aid the search.
Mr Kundu ran a YouTube channel with around 500 subscribers, where he regularly posted photography videos of the Odisha region. Duduma Waterfall, one of the highest in eastern India, is a popular tourist spot on the border of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
