A dramatic rescue unfolded in Kaliapal village under Barkote block, where floodwaters from the Tankujura canal cut off road access, leaving the village isolated.
As water flowed over the bridge on Sunday morning, an ambulance arriving to pick up a pregnant woman was forced to halt at the stream’s edge.
Unable to reach the vehicle, the woman’s family carried her across the flooded stream, wading through waist-deep water to reach the stranded ambulance. Despite their efforts, the woman could not reach the hospital in time and delivered a baby boy inside the ambulance en route to the Barkote Community Health Centre.
Both mother and newborn are now receiving treatment at the Barkote hospital. Locals said the Tankujura stream routinely disrupts transport during heavy rains, urging authorities to find a permanent solution to the recurring problem.
