Vazhikadavu: Tribal families fell into the Punnapuzha River while crossing the river on a bamboo raft. Ten people, including children from the Punchakolli and Alaikkal Nagar settlements fell in the river after the rope that was attached to the raft snapped.

The incident happened on Friday at around 1.30 pm when the families were trying to cross the Punchakollikadavu at Punnapuzha River. The rope that is used to pull the raft forward broke when they reached the middle of the river. The raft that lost control then moved in the gushing waters for over 25 metres.

People in the locality led by auto driver Enthakuzhiyan Muhammadali rescued the tribal families. Meanwhile, the tribals had lost some of the things they were carrying on the raft. Two people lost their mobile phones as well as important documents including Aadhar card.

The tribal families have been relying on the raft after the iron bridge in the Punchakollikadavu was washed away in the floods in 2018. The raft had been washed away or drowned earlier too when the water level rose in the river. Minister O Kelu too got stranded in river while crossing the river on the raft when he visited the settlements for campaigning during the last Parliament elections.

The minister had then promised to build a new bridge with immediate effect. However, the procedures for building the bridge moves at snail’s pace six years after he made the promise.