Sonepur: An elderly woman reportedly fell into a 20-feet deep abandoned borewell near Kainphula village under Sadar block of Odisha's Sonepur district on Monday evening.

The victim has been identified as Dukhi Negi (80). On being informed about the mishap, Fire Services personnel rushed to the spot and initiated a rescue operation.

"We have supplied oxygen to the woman through the opening of the borewell. The district administration has provided us an excavator, using which we are digging the ground parallel to the borewell from a distance of around 10-feet," a Fire Services officer said.

"As the opening of the borewell was narrow, we were unable to enter it. It was decided to dig the ground parallel to the borewell. Efforts are on to rescue the woman," he added.

As directed by the Special Relief Commissioner, Odisha, an ODRAF team has been deployed for the rescue operation. This apart, NDRF 3rd Battalion Munduli team, which has expertise in such rescue operation, has been dispatched for the rescue, official sources said.