250 People Rescued In Flood In Kedarhalla While 4 Women Devotees Washed Away

At least 250 people were rescued between Monday 10 p.m. and midnight after a sudden surge in Kedarhalla stream submerged a ground-level bridge inside Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, washing away four female devotees around 7 p.m. The 30-foot-long concrete bridge was swamped by the flash flood as the worshippers were leaving the Anaikkal Mariamman Temple inside the MTR after participating in a Karthigai month puja.

The bodies of M Vimala, B Saroja, and R Vasuki, who were missing since Monday night due to poor visibility, were only found by rescue workers about 9.30 am on Tuesday. The fourth victim, S. Suseela, is still being sought after in a search.

According to sources, the fatalities, who were from Kadanad near Ooty, were swept away by the sudden flash flood as they attempted to cross the bridge to get to their car after the pooja. The three bodies that were discovered 3 to 3.5 kilometres downstream from the bridge wedged between stones were brought to the government hospital in Ooty on Tuesday for a postmortem.

250 devotees were saved by a 50-member team of firefighters, police, and foresters with the aid of the neighborhood's people. M. Rajasekaran, Ooty's tahsildhar, was keeping an eye on the rescue effort.

He stated that due to the flood, about 250 people were unable to cross the bridge. The followers claim they had never experienced such horror. According to Collector S P Amrith, the deceased's kin would receive 4 lakh each.