Odisha: ASHA Worker Carries 60-Year-Old Woman on Her Back Through Floodwaters to Safety (Video)
In a quiet display of duty and courage, an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) worker carried a 60-year-old mobility-impaired woman to safety on her back after rising floodwaters threatened to submerge her residence in Odisha’s Bhadrak district.
n a quiet display of duty and courage, an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) worker carried a 60-year-old mobility-impaired woman to safety on her back after rising floodwaters threatened to submerge her residence in Odisha’s Bhadrak district.
The incident took place in Nadigaon village within the flood-impacted Dhamnagar block, where severe inundation followed heavy rains and a breach in the local Karanpal River embankment. The healthcare worker, identified as Minati Sahu (also reported as Minti Sahu), was conducting routine field visits across the waterlogged Nadigaon and Bharatpur areas to distribute essential medications and raise public health awareness regarding waterborne diseases. Chhattisgarh: Tribal Woman Carries 90-Year-Old Mother-in-Law To Bank on Her Back for 3 Km To Retrieve Stopped Pension; Video Surfaces.
Upon receiving news of the embankment breach, Sahu returned to inspect vulnerable parts of the village. She discovered 60-year-old Basanta Das stranded alone on her house porch, where rising floodwaters had already reached floor level. Das, who suffers from a chronic leg infection, relies on assistance from family members to move. At the time of the incident, her son was away seeking medical care for his pregnant wife.
Recognizing the imminent danger as water levels continued to surge, Sahu acted without delay. With no immediate transport or alternative rescue options available, she placed the elderly woman on her shoulders and waded through half a kilometer of knee-deep floodwater and strong currents. She successfully transported Das to the nearby Patana community center, which was serving as a temporary flood shelter. Azamgarh: Specially-Abled Man Carries Wife on Back, Crawls to DM Office Seeking Road to Home; Videos Surface.
ASHA Worker Carries Stranded 60-Year-Old Woman to Safety
The quick intervention prevented potential harm and drew commendation from regional authorities. Bhadrak District Information and Public Relations Officer (DIPRO) Madhusmita Satapathy praised Sahu’s dedication, noting that her initiative reflects the critical role frontline health workers play during environmental emergencies. Dhamnagar block remains among the areas heavily affected by the seasonal flooding of local river systems in eastern Odisha, where relief operations and damage assessments by district officials remain ongoing.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 21, 2026 07:41 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).