YouTuber Sagar Tudu, 22, missing after surge at Duduma Falls

A 22-year-old YouTuber went missing after being swept away by a sudden surge at Duduma waterfall in Odisha’s Koraput district while filming video content, officials said. Identified as Sagar Tudu of Berhampur in Ganjam district, he was recording reels with a friend on Saturday afternoon when rising waters from a dam release overwhelmed the area. Rescue teams have conducted an extended search but had not located him as of late evening, and authorities recovered a bag of camera equipment from the water.

According to police and rescue officials, Tudu traveled to Koraput with his friend Abhijit Behera to shoot videos of local tourist sites. The two were using a drone near the top of the Duduma falls when heavy rainfall in the Lamtaput area prompted the managers of the Machakunda reservoir to release water downstream after issuing alerts to residents. Witnesses said Tudu was standing on a rock when the flow rose sharply, causing him to lose balance and be swept away. Tourists and locals attempted immediate rescues but were unable to reach him.

Madhusudan Bhoi, inspector in charge of Machkund Police Station, said, "There was a surge due to water being released from the Machkund dam....