In a joint search operation, Fire and Rescue Services personnel, police and fishermen found three more bodies on Monday, during search for those washed away in the Cauvery near Bhavani Kattalai Barrage-II (BKB-II) on Sunday.
Seven persons were washed away. While the bodies of Candice Bosser (8) was found on Sunday, that of her father David Bosser (45) and relatives Gladstone Payne (26) and C. Dona (19) were found around noon on Monday. The search continued for three more persons.
David's body was found floating near Karanampalayam, about five kilometres from the barrage. Dona's body was found floating near the rocky banks of the river at Batlur Koundampalayam, eight kilometres from where she was washed away. Gladstone's body was recovered at the Jaderpalayam check dam, nearly 25 km from Odapalli, in the evening.
Close to 100 fishermen of Pallipalayam, Odapalli, Batlur and Irayamangalam are involved in the search along with the police and fire services personnel.
Water released from the Mettur dam was reduced from 8,000 cft to 500 cft around 6.30 p.m. on Sunday. But, the level began reducing only around 4 a.m. on Monday and dropped to around five feet in the next two hours. This helped in the recovery of the bodies, officials said.
Meyvel (44), a fisherman of Avarangadu spotted Dona's body around 6 a.m.
He did not know whom to inform, Meyvel told The Hindu. Rescue personnel said that if all the missing persons were dead, the bodies would start floating in 18 to 24 hours after the incident. But, things could be difficult if the bodies were trapped among rocks in the river.
Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Monday ordered the release of Rs.1 lakh each to the families of the seven persons who drowned in the Cauvery. She directed the administration of Erode and Namakkal districts to see to it that the bodies are identified and handed over to the families.
Ms. Jayalalithaa also sanctioned payment of Rs.1 lakh each to the families of three boys - Gokul, Vinod and Mohanraj – who drowned in a tank of Bhavani taluk in Erode district.
