Palakkad: Four persons including an elderly woman from Mysuru, who were stranded for about two hours on a rock in the middle of the Chittoor River in Kerala were rescued by Fire and Rescue Services personnel in a half-an-hour operation, yesterday.

They are identified as-Devi (60), her husband Lakshmanan (65), Vishnu (30) and Suresh (32)

According to the Police, a group of migrant workers from Karnataka, now staying in Chittoor for construction works, entered Chittoor River to take bath and wash clothes, near the Narani Alumkadavu around afternoon, without prior knowledge of the opening of the Moolathara Reservoir’s regulator shutter.

The water level rose suddenly and a few of them swam to the bank, before the surge of water in the river. They alerted the residents, who subsequently informed the Police. Police and Fire Force personnel rushed to the spot.

The four sought refuge on a rock in the river, as the water level continued to swell and the current in the river became strong. They were trapped in the river for two hours. Police and Fire Force personnel rescued Devi, Lakshmanan, Vishnu and Suresh, by using the rope within 30 minutes.

They were rescued after providing life jackets. The current in the river made the rescue process difficult, said one of the team members. 

Kerala Electricity Minister K. Krishnankutty, who is also the local MLA of Chittoor, rushed to the spot and coordinated the rescue operations . The health condition of all four rescued persons was stated to be stable.

The woman was first brought ashore. Then the three men were rescued one by one. The Minister said that, the four had displayed exceptional courage while they stood on the rock even as the water level continued to rise. The Mysuru natives were living at Chittoor.

Thanking the Fire and Rescue Services personnel for rescuing them, one of the survivors said the water level was low when they got into the river to wash clothes, but the water level increased suddenly, forcing them to seek refuge on a rock.