However, the two firemen managed to swim across the river while another boat reached the spot and rescued them. The boat that turned turtle reportedly was stuck in the debris of the bridge. Fire and rescue personnel were deployed at Upper Anaicut to assist the workers.

A fire and rescue official said, “Some technical snag had occurred halfway in Kollidam. The two men had gone to carry four workers from another side. But, the strong current overturned their boat and the two men had fallen into it.”

Meanwhile, Minister Vellamandi N Natarajan, who inspected the works at Mukkombu, on Wednesday said that PWD officials were asked to complete the ongoing temporary works within a week.

The works to create bunds along the water would be completed in four days and the district administration would continue to monitor the works and expedite the process, the Minister said.

He said that around three lakh sand bags were piled in the water and another set of three lakh sand bags are being readied to be piled in the bunds. Meanwhile, the excess water has been let off from Kollidam into Cauvery by clearing the sang accumulation from Tuesday and once the water is arrested, a concrete wall along the damaged regulator would be constructed,” he said, adding that the water flow will be reduced in the coming days as the outflow from Mettur is now 6,000 cusecs.