JOIN USThe personnel from Fire and Emergency Services and the police rescued nine persons including a three-year-old baby who were stranded in the overflowing Bennihalla on Wednesday.
Mahendra Pawar (45), his wife Neelam (42), their children Nikhil (30, Ujwala (9), Nandini (14), Bharathi (18), Pawar’s uncle Kasheenath Mandava (60), his wife Lakshmi (50) and their daughter (30) - all from Rayagad district in Maharashtra had come to Kalavada village for making charcoal. They had slept on the banks of Bennehalla on Tuesday night.
However, by Wednesday morning, the water level in the stream went up and the family was stranded in waters. Some had climbed a tree and screamed for help. The villagers alerted the taluk administration.
The personnel from Fire and Emergency Services and the police attempted to rescue them with the help of a rope.
The attempt had to be aborted since due to strong water currents. Later, a boat was brought from Unakal in which the stranded were shifted to safety.