Fire and Rescue Services personnel rescued an Adivasi woman, who had a miscarriage, from a marooned hamlet across the swollen Chaliyar river at Munderi, near Nilambur, on Friday.
Kanchana, 20, wife of Sunil at the Tharippapotti tribal colony, suffered severe bleeding from the miscarriage. The efforts of the tribespeople to take her to hospital failed as the heavy currents in the swollen river posed a challenge. All bridges across the river connecting the mainland with the colonies had washed away.
A team of Fire and Rescue Services men led by Nilambur station officer M. Abdul Gafoor rescued her in an inflatable rubber dinghy in a daring operation. The team crossed the Chaliyar river using an outboard engine, and tied a rope across the river.
Ms. Kanchana was taken to Government Taluk Hospital at Nilambur. Hospital authorities said her condition was critical.
Fire and Rescue Services officers C.K. Nandakumar, E.M. Shinto, K.P. Ameeruddin, K. Sanju, V. Saleem, I. Abdulla, S. Sanath, M. Nizamuddin, V. Abdul Muneer, R. Sumeer Kumar, and civil defence volunteers K. Abdul Salam, M. Shoukathali, and V. Shahul Hameed took part in the rescue operation.
