Kerala Minister for Power K. Krishnankutty (right, wearing a folded dhoti) speaking to the four Mysuru natives rescued from the Chittur river near Palakkad on July 16 afternoon.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Fire and Rescue Services personnel rescued four persons who were trapped in the Chittur Puzha near Chittur in Palakkad district of Kerala on July 16. The four persons, including an elderly woman, were bathing and washing their clothes in the river near Alamkadavu causeway when the water level rose suddenly following a heavy discharge from the Moolathara regulator.
The four, hailing from Mysuru in Karnataka, sought refuge on a rock in the river as the water level continued to rise and the current in the river strengthened. They were trapped in the river for two hours. The other members of the team who had finished their washing alerted the authorities, and Fire and Rescue Services personnel soon arrived for their rescue.
Four Mysuru natives who were trapped on rock in a swollen river in Palakkad being rescued
They were rescued with the help of a rope after providing life jackets. The current in the river made the rescue process difficult, said one of the team members. Minister for Power K. Krishnankutty reached the spot and supervised the rescue operation.
The woman was first brought ashore. Then the three men were rescued one by one. It took half an hour for the rescuers to bring the foursome ashore.
Mr. Krishnankutty said 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 Chittur. Their identities were not revealed yet.
Thanking the Fire and Rescue Services personnel for rescuing them, one of them said there was not much water when they got into the river for washing clothes. But the water level and the current increased suddenly, forcing them to seek refuge on a rock.
Dam water released
Continuing heavy rains in the catchment areas of the Aliyar dam in Tamil Nadu had forced the authorities to release 808 cusecs of water on July 16 morning. After issuing a warning, the Moolathara regulator too raised its shutters, releasing the excess water that reached the reservoir from the Aliyar dam.
An official statement said here on July 16 afternoon that 1,108 cusecs of water was being released from Moolathara regulator.
The Chittur Puzha, also called Shokanashini, Yakkara Puzha and Kannadi Puzha, is one of the names of the mighty Bharathapuzha that originates from the Anamalai hills of Tamil Nadu and flows through Palakkad, Thrissur and Malappuram districts before emptying into the Arabian Sea at Ponnani.