5 of family washed away in Cauvery

According to police, Saravanan, 35, a power loom owner in Tirupur district had visited his brother Gopal’s house at Reddiyur near Mettur along with his wife Mythili, 32 and son Hariharan, 9, two days ago.

On Sunday, the family had gone to bathe in the Cauvery along with Gopal’s daughters Vanisri, and Thanusri and Mythili’s sister’s daughter Naveena. 

Police said that Hariharan was struggling in the gushing waters and to rescue him, others jumped in.

All the six were caught in the current and began to drown. A few labourers, who noticed the drowning family members managed to rescue Thanusri, while the five others were swept away.

The Fire and Rescue personnel rushed to the spot and with the help of local fishermen retrieved all bodies, except that of Hariharan. Salem District Collector Rohini Bhajibhakare said that the discharge from Mettur is likely to be increased from 20,000 cusecs to 30,000 cusecs from Sunday night. The dam’s water level stood at 117.32 ft as against its height of 120 ft.