Kendrapara, Aug. 12: A 48-year-old woman was killed by a crocodile while she was taking a bath in a water body at Bania village in flood-affected Kendrapara district.

In view of the flood-like situation, the state forest department had sounded an alert asking residents to stay away from the water bodies.

“The villagers informed us about the incident. Her body is yet to be recovered. Once we find it, the woman’s family will receive compensation,” said Kedar Kumar Swain, divisional forest officer (DFO) of Rajnagar mangrove forest division (wildlife).

Mechanised vessels and Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force rescue teams have been pressed into service to locate the body, said Sukadev Behera, tehsildar of Rajkanika.

The incident spread panic in the flood-affected villages. “Residents have lodged complaints with us. We have told the forest department to ensure their safety,” Behera said.

Forest personnel, however, said the local residents were exposing themselves to crocodile attacks by venturing into the water bodies despite being warned by the department.

“There are possibilities that a rise in the water level in Kharasrota river might have helped the crocodile to enter the water body. Similar incidents were reported when Brahmani and Baitarani rivers were in spate. Therefore, we have sounded alert for people living in such vulnerable areas,” said the DFO.