Four picnickers were left marooned on an island in Madhya Pradesh in the Handikundi region of the Khandwa district, where rivers Sukta and Avana meet. According to officials, the water levels of the rivers rose suddenly due to heavy rains in the area. The group was rescued on Friday after an 11-hour rescue operation, officials told PTI.
Event Context
The group of picnickers, comprising Huzefa Hamid (40), Mayank alias Gopal (16), Ali Asgar (35), and Ayush (18) were stranded 20 kilometres away from the dstrict headquarters, on Thursday, officials told PTI.
Following information received from the police control room at around 6:15 pm on Thursday, a State Disaster Emergency Response Force (SDERF) team reached the spot and launched a rescue operation.
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“Initially, an attempt was made to tow a motorboat to the island using safety ropes, but this proved extremely risky due to the strong current,” an official told PTI
Officials said that a motoroat, controlled by safety ropes, was towed to the island amid the strong current after the water level partially receded. All four were safely rescued at around 4.45 am on Friday, after an operation lasting nearly 11 hours, they added.
Team Analysis
With the safety of both rescue personnel and those stranded on the island as the priority, SDERF teams waited for the water level to recede while officials worked on alternative rescue plans.
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source
“Keeping the safety of the stranded people in mind, life jackets, food, and drinking water were delivered to the island using drones. This provided relief and ensured their safety until the water level receded. Constant contact was maintained with them via mobile phone, boosting their morale,” an official told PTI.
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