Odisha: Woman, 3-year-old son rescued from raging floodwaters; video goes viral
Villagers said they had given up hope on the mother-son duo as the force of water was too strong but their hard work and resilience paid off in the end
In a daring rescue operation, a woman and her 3-year-old son were rescued by villagers after they were trapped under raging floodwaters in Odisha’s Rayagad district on Tuesday evening.
A video of the incident went viral on social media.
Nandini Kadraka of Punjapai village in Rayagada district had gone to a forest near her village along with her son Rohit after crossing over a relatively shallow waters of Raniganga river on Tuesday afternoon. However, when she tried to return, she was trapped in the swelling waters of Raniganga as it rained in the upper reaches of the river at Kashipur flooding the river in a matter of few hours. Holding her son in one hand and a bushy shrub in the riverbed with the other hand, Kadraka tried to stay afloat.
“When we did not find the mother-son duo in the village, we searched for them and heard their fervent cries of rescue. However, none of us could muster the courage to venture into the river to rescue her as the force of water was too strong,” said Bitu Mandingi, a local youth.
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The locals then threw a long rope at Kadraka which she managed to hold on after several attempts. Holding her child in one hand, she tied the rope around her waist and held one end of the rope securely as the floodwaters threatened to sweep her away.
After three cumbersome hours, Kadraka managed to reach the riverbank where she collapsed. She was immediately rushed to a hospital and was discharged the next day.
Villagers said they had given up hope on the mother-son duo as the force of water was too strong. “She could survive only due to her mental strength,” said a villager of Punjapai.