About 10 local persons besides some officials and public representatives had a narrow escape when the raft on which they were travelling overturned at Rudramkota village in Eluru district.
According to sources, Polavaram MLA Tellam Balaraju, Collector V. Prasanna Venkatesh, along with the MPPs, ZPTC members, a Sarpanch and some officers, visited the flood-affected villages in Velerupadu mandal.
When they were travelling on two rafts, one of them overturned plunging those on it into the water at Rudramkota. However, the local people jumped into the water and helped them to reach a boat.
The MLA and the Collector, who were on the other raft, also shifted into the boat safely. The floodwater was flowing at a level of about five feet when the incident occurred, local people said.
The MLA told The Hindu that the locals saved the public representatives and the officers on the overturned raft. “As all of them wore life jackets, they were safe. I and the Collector were on the other raft,” Mr. Balaraju said.
“I thank the villagers who saved the people. I request all the villagers and staff to wear life jackets while travelling on boats,” he said.
Later, the entire team visited the relief camps and interacted with the tribal people who shifted to the hilly areas.
