A female elephant was trapped in slush at the Gunderipallam dam near Gobichettipalayam in Tamil Nadu’s Erode district on Sunday, prompting a rescue operation involving forest officials and fire and rescue services personnel. Efforts to pull the animal out were delayed after an earthmover deployed for the operation became stuck in the muddy terrain. According to a TOI report, wild animals have been frequently venturing towards the dam in search of drinking water amid an acute shortage of water in the forest. The water level at the Gunderipallam dam, located within the T N Palayam forest range, has declined in recent weeks.
In the early hours of Sunday, the female elephant arrived at the reservoir to drink water but became trapped in the slush in an exposed section of the dam. Unable to free herself, the animal struggled for several hours and began trumpeting in distress.
