TENKASI: A 16-year-old boy from Tirunelveli was swept away by flash floods triggered by heavy rain at Old Courtallam Falls in Tenkasi on Friday. His body was later recovered by fire and rescue services personnel and sent to the Government District Headquarters Hospital for an autopsy. The waterfalls will remain prohibited to tourists until further notice.
Police identified the deceased as K Aswin, a resident of NGO colony in Tirunelveli. Aswin recently passed his SSLC exam. He visited his relative's house located at Melagaram in the district on Friday. To enjoy the bath in the afternoon, Aswin and his family visited the waterfall that was quiet in the morning.
According to sources, when Aswin and a group of tourists were bathing in the waterfall, there was a sudden increase in the flow of water due to heavy rains in the catchment areas of the Western Ghats for the past few days. Surprised by the sudden deluge, the tourists hurriedly fled the scene. But Aswin was caught in the torrent of water and was carried away by the force of it. Informed by his family, fire and rescue services personnel, led by district officer Banu Priya, rushed to the spot.
Bathing in waterfalls is prohibited until further notice
Collector AK Kamal Kishore and SP TP Suresh Kumar rushed to the spot. After some time, firefighters found Aswin's body about half a kilometer from Old Courtallam Falls. Kishore said his administration had already issued a warning about the possibility of flooding in the waterfalls. โWe also deployed police at the falls.
Unexpectedly, the child has been dragged away. We have sent his body for autopsy. We are in the process of establishing an early warning system at the falls to prevent these types of incidents. Bathing in the waterfalls will be prohibited until further orders,โ she said. Apart from Old Courtallam, Courtallam Main Falls and Five Falls also witnessed flooding.
Meanwhile, the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve administration has banned tourists from visiting Manimuthar waterfalls and Manjolai hills in Tirunelveli.
Do not visit Ooty from May 18 to 20
The Nilgiris district administration on Friday asked people to "avoid" visiting the tourist town as very heavy rain is forecast in Ooty from May 18 to 20.
