Taxi Plunge: Driver's Escape from Submerged Canal

A private taxi fell into an open canal on a waterlogged road in Petta. The driver, using a navigation tool to pick up a passenger, escaped unhurt. Heavy rain since late Monday caused severe waterlogging, obscuring the canal's location. The vehicle was later retrieved with locals' help.

A private taxi skidded off a rain-soaked road in Petta on Tuesday morning, plunging into an open canal. The driver, who was en route to pick up a passenger via a navigation app, emerged unharmed from the incident, according to local police.

Images broadcasted on TV depicted the vehicle submerged up to three-fourths in the canal's waters. Maradu police confirmed that the accident took place around 7:30 a.m. and was attributed to severe waterlogging, which turned the road nearly indistinguishable from the surrounding water bodies.

Resident volunteers managed to pull the taxi out. They explained to media outlets how heavy rains routinely flood the area, eliminating visual cues to delineate road from canal. This incident highlights the infrastructural challenges and safety hazards posed by unmarked, submerged pathways during the monsoon season.

(With inputs from agencies.)