Two tribal youths of Narayanpatna in Koraput district of Odisha, showing extraordinary courage and risking their lives, have saved five children from getting drowned in a flash flood in the Jhanjabati river.
The incident happened this past Sunday. But the story of their bravery remained unreported till a video clip of the rescue operation recorded on a mobile phone by a localite became viral in the district on Tuesday. These two youths are Harischandra Hiaal and Mohan Garda of the Harijan Sahi area of Narayanpatna. The five children they saved were also from the Harijan Sahi area.
Usually water level remains low in the Jhanjabati river. As per reports, at around 2.30 p.m. on Sunday, these five children had gone to the river to take a bath. The water level was low and the children were playing in the river water, unaware of the fact that heavy rain had occurred at the upper reaches of the river a day earlier. Thus, water flow was likely to become heavy any time. All of a sudden, the water level rose to the neck level. The panicked children shouted for help and climbed atop a large boulder on the riverbed. Fortunately, Harishchandra and Mohan, who were passing by, heard their cries and rushed to help out these children.
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They used a long bamboo pole to rescue the children. At their call some other villagers also came and helped them hold the pole. Holding the bamboo pole, the two youths waded through the heavy current to reach the children on the boulder and brought them on the river bank one after another.