Wayanad (Kerala): In a dramatic rescue operation in Kerala's Wayanad, a man who was trapped between the boulders in floodwaters was successfully saved. The man, who had been struggling to stay upright and avoid being swept away by the strong currents and thick marsh in Mundakkai village, was spotted clinging to a boulder.
The harrowing visuals of the hapless man's attempt to survive amidst scattered boulders in the floodwater came from Mundakkai village, where hundreds of people were reportedly trapped following the deadly landslides in the early hours of Tuesday triggered by heavy rainfall.
#WayanadDisaster: Successful Rescue Operation Saves Man Clinging to Boulder in Floodwaters#WayanadLandslides #WayanadLandslide #Landslide #Kerala #Rescue pic.twitter.com/wsVzZnQ8u7
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The visuals, taken by one of the villagers, were aired by television channels, urging authorities to send rescue teams to the location. "He is trapped in the area near the local school in Mundakkai. He caught our attention for the first time by 7.30 am.
He is still continuing his attempt not to get carried away by the flood waters and trying to stand in the thick marsh," Raghavan, a block panchayat member who took the visuals on his mobile phone, said. Villagers said though they were seeing the man's survival attempts, they could not reach the place or rescue him due to strong currents and marsh.
As the rescue mission continues in various hamlets, people can be seen hugging each other tight so as to not get carried away in flood waters in many places. People, especially elderly men and women, could also be seen being rescued by placing temporary metal bridges in areas cut off due to massive landslides.