SRIKAKULAM: As many as 53 people, who got trapped in the flood waters of Vamsadhara river at Purushothapuram village in Sarubujjili mandal of Srikakulam district on Sunday midnight, were rescued by the SDRF and Fire Services department personnel on Monday morning.
Around 11:30 pm on Sunday, the daily wage workers went to an authorised sand reach in the river at Purushothapuram village under Amadalavalasa police station limits. Though an alert was sounded about the release of water from Gotta Barrage on Vamsadhara river, the labourers were not aware of it. With increasing flood levels in the river, 22 gates of the barrage were lifted to release water downstream.
Seeing the water gushing towards them and increasing level of water every minute, the workers got panicked and climbed atop the lorries and earth movers they brought with them for sand mining. On being alerted about the incident, police officials along with SDRF and Fire Services Department personnel rushed to the spot.
Though they reached the spot at 3:30 am, they had to wait till 5 am for better light to take up rescue operations.Meanwhile, using drones, they located the workers and took a headcount. The workers were rescued in the morning using inflatable boats.