Four stranded on rock in swollen Kerala river rescued in daring operation

Palakkad: In a daring rescue effort, fire force personnel on Tuesday saved four people, including an elderly man and woman, who were stranded on a rock in the middle of the swollen Chittoor river in Palakkad district.

The water level in the Chittoor river rose due to the release of water from the Moolathara regulator area, following rains in its catchment areas.

Kerala Power Minister Krishnankutty quickly arrived at the scene, taking charge of the rescue efforts, officials said.

Fire force personnel then launched a brave operation, carefully reaching the rock and connecting it to the riverbank with a rope.

Visuals aired by TV news channels showed that the four stranded persons, provided with life jackets, were then safely brought by the fire force personnel to shore on inflatable rescue tubes attached to the rope to prevent them from being swept away.

Minister Krishnankutty congratulated the fire force personnel on their dauntless operation.

There was an orange alert issued for Palakkad, warning of very heavy rain of 11 cm to 20 cm. Officials said that the necessary warnings had been issued about the possibility of rising water levels due to the rains, urging people living along the Chittoor river to exercise vigil.

However, the four persons, all residents of Mysuru in Karnataka, who had come to Palakkad looking for jobs, had stepped into the river unaware of the warnings issued, and got stranded when the water level suddenly rose.