His wife, Padmam, witnessed the accident and sprang to action. She first threw a plastic rope to help him climb out, but as he grew weak, she realised he wouldn't be able to pull himself up.

When his face touched the water, I asked him to look up, but there was no response," she said. Without hesitation, Padmam tied a plastic rope to a tree, and holding on to it, she climbed down into ...