Kottayam: It was a miraculous escape for a family of four, including a six-month-old, after their car was accidentally driven into a stream at Thiruvathukkal on the outskirts of Kottayam town on Thursday night.
Apparently, the driver mistook the waterbody for a road, as they were traveling amid the rains from Ernakulam to Thiruvalla, despite many warnings amid downpour.
Locals who found the car with the family floating through the stream at Parechal locality rescued them. A few local people jumped into the stream, used a rope to pull the car towards a nearby tree along the bank before rescuing the passengers.
"We found them banging on the window of the car seeking help. We used ropes and pulled the car to the bank," said a local rescuer.
No one including the infant was injured and water did not enter the car as the windows were pulled up.
It is suspected the car driver who was not familiar with the place was relying on digital map to chart path at night amid rain. Apparently, as the stream was overflowing, it would have been difficult for the driver to notice the presence of the waterbody.
By the time the police and the fire force could reach the spot, the locals had rescued the family.
