Bhubaneswar: A truck veered off the main highway and crashed into a house at Patrasahi village in Chandbali area of Odisha’s Bhadrak district early on Thursday, while reportedly navigating thick fog using Google Maps.
According to sources, the accident occurred on Bhadrak-Chandbali main road near Digachhia Chhak when the truck was en route t
o Dhamra port from Cuttack. The truck driver, unable to clearly see road signs or turns due to thick fog, attempted to navigate the road using GPS data, which then directed the vehicle into a narrow village lane. The truck crashed into an asbestos-roofed house belonging to one Ramesh Das as the driver tried to manoeuvre through its narrow lanes on realising the mistake. The impact caused partial structural damage, but fortunately, the family escaped unharmed.
Following which, villagers alerted police, who arrived at the spot and impounded the truck for investigation.
Police attributed the mishap to dense fog reducing visibility, combined with the driver’s reliance on Google Maps navigation while unfamiliar with the local route.