PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A man was rushed to a hospital Wednesday afternoon after being found facedown along the Cowlitz River in Kelso.
First responders rushed to the river near the Cowlitz Way bridge just after 2 p.m. and used a drone to find the man. He was laying facedown about 100 yards downstream on the east side of the riverbank, firefighters said.
Officers and a bystander helped to pull him out of the water. Authorities started first aid before the 54-year-old man was taken to a hospital. His condition is unclear at this time.
Water in lakes and rivers can still be very cold even on hot summer days. Officials say hypothermia can take effect in just a few minutes even when the water is 60-70 degrees. Life jackets can help save lives.