Photo: Mathrubhumi
Kollam: A man died after being washed away in the turbulent waters of the Kumbhavurutty Waterfalls near Achankovil on Sunday here. The deceased is identified as Kumaran, hailing from Madurai in Tamil Nadu.
He was accompanied by several others from Tamil Nadu who were on a trip to the Kumbhavurutty waterfalls. However, the group was caught off guard by the sudden rush of water while bathing in the waterfalls, leaving two people injured. Though Kumaran was rescued from the waters and rushed to Tenkasi hospital, where he breathed his last. Kishore, another Tamil Nadu native is in critical condition at Punalur Taluk Hospital.
Around 25 people were trapped on the cliff in the middle of the waterfalls after the water flow suddenly increased, leading to a flash flood. Later, the Achankovil Range Officer and his team rescued the group using a rope. It is suspected that a landslide inside the forest resulted in a flash flood.
The tourists were not permitted to enter the waterfalls for the last five years. But recently, the authority opened the waterfalls for the public.