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Lost Trekker Survives 4 Days in Wild Kodagu Forest
6 Apr
Summary
- A 36-year-old IT professional went missing during a trek on Tadiandamol peak.
- She survived for four days with minimal water and no food in dense forests.
- Her calm demeanor and cautious decisions aided her remarkable rescue.
A trekking expedition to Tadiandamol, the highest peak in Kodagu, turned into a four-day survival ordeal for 36-year-old IT professional GS Sharanya. She became separated from her group on the evening of April 2 while descending the peak. Initially, she attempted to retrace her steps but found herself deep within the dense forest as darkness fell, forcing her to spend the night outdoors with only 500ml of water and no food.
Over the next three days, Sharanya navigated the challenging terrain with a leg injury, prioritizing safety by staying in visible areas. She avoided venturing deeper into unfamiliar territory, opting instead to conserve energy and wait for rescue. Meanwhile, a large-scale search operation involving police, forest officials, the Anti-Naxal Force, and local tribal communities was underway. Despite difficult conditions including rain and fog, and the deployment of thermal drone cameras, the unforgiving terrain posed significant challenges to the search teams.
On the fourth day, members of the Kudiya tribal community, familiar with the area, located Sharanya by following faint calls in a remote part of the Pattighat reserve forest. She was found conscious and stable on April 6, over 72 hours after she was first reported missing. Authorities confirmed she had sustained no major injuries, attributing her survival to a combination of endurance and wise, cautious decision-making during her ordeal.
