Chencho Dema

Punakha—A 43-year-old farmer from Sirigang, Kabesa, was swept away by Mochhu River near the Balizam suspension bridge in Punakha on December 11.

Punakha police received a distress call at around 2 PM. The victim’s brother-in-law, a 34-year-old man from Trashigang, reported the incident., which occurred around 1:30 PM.

Despite ongoing search efforts, the woman has not been found.

According to the initial investigation, the deceased, her husband, and a friend had ventured to a small island in the middle of the river to collect riverweed, locally known as churu. While the friend safely crossed back to the riverbank, the woman and her husband slipped into the strong current while returning.

The husband managed to escape with injuries, but the woman was carried downstream for about 50 metres before vanishing into the turbulent waters.

With the assistance of local rafting teams, the police immediately launched a search and rescue operation.

However, the powerful currents of the river made the search efforts difficult.

Authorities have urged residents to exercise caution near riverbanks, especially during the monsoon season when water levels and currents can be particularly treacherous.

This year alone, Punakha has reported three drowning incidents. In October, a 26-year-old man drowned in the Mochhu River at Changyuel. Similarly, in August, a 21-year-old man from Dagana drowned in the river at Lakhu, Guma Gewog.

From 2017 to April 2021, the district recorded eight cases, with two bodies from 2020 still unrecovered.