A nine-month pregnant tribal woman in Kerala had to be carried to hospital in a makeshift stretcher made of a bed sheet tied to logs as no ambulance was available, reports said on June 6.

She later delivered a baby girl. The incident took place on June 5th afternoon in Attapadi village -- the biggest tribal settlement in the state, but yet to have proper roads. The visuals of a group of tribal men and women carrying the woman across a stream were aired by a TV channel on June 6th afternoon.

After crossing the stream, the people waited for an ambulance at a point where the motorable road starts. When the ambulance did not come despite a long wait, they continued to walk on till they managed to get a private vehicle which transported them to the hospital. Responding to the incident, authorities said the ambulance was under repair.