As many as eight tourists were killed and six others suffered injuries when a private bus overturned near Chinturu village in the district on Tuesday.
The victims were all natives of Chitradurga district of Karnataka, and were on a pilgrimage in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and other States.
The tourist mini bus overturned and fell in a gorge killing five persons on the spot, near Valmiki Konda on Maredumilli-Chinturu road. Three more succumbed to injuries while being shifted to the hospital, said East Godavari district Superintendent of Police Adnan Nayeem Asmi.
Condition of three more tourists, who suffered critical injuries is stated to be critical. They were rushed to Rampachodavaram Area Government Hospital.
Rampachodavaram Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Vakul Jindal and the Maredumilli and Chinturu police rushed to the spot. The tourist bus was proceeding from Bhadrachalam to Annavaram when the mishap occurred, the SP said.
East Godavari district Collector D. Muralidhar Reddy said that satellite phones were being sent to the spot as there was no mobile phone communication at Chinturu, where the road accident occurred.
Rampachodavaram ITDA Project Officer Nishant Kumar, Sub-Collector and other officials were instructed to monitor the rescue operations at the spot.
Transport Minister Perni Venkataramaiah enquired into the road mishap and directed the officials to provide better treatment to the injured tourists.
