As many as 160 tourists were stranded in the Muthyala Dhara waterfalls in the Mulugu district, Telangana after the flow of water increased on Wednesday following heavy rainfalls. Workers from the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) team along with the local police deployed to the site to conduct rescue operations advised the stranded tourists not to cross the stream, remain on higher ground and keep their mobile batteries safe.
The tourists were safely rescued and brought to the mandal headquarters village of Venkatapuram around 4 AM on Thursday, a release from the Tourism Minister's office said.
“District Disaster Response Force and NDRF along with local police deployed at the spot and are trying to rescue the tourists. We have spoken to the tourists over mobile and suggested they stay away from the water stream and save battery life. By morning all the tourists will be rescued. Rescue operation is on,” Mulugu Superintendent of Police Gaush Alam told ANI on Wednesday night.
The tourists had gone to Mutyamdhara waterfall in Mulugu district on Wednesday and were stuck there as a stream was in spate making it difficult for them to come out of the forest area, official sources said. After receiving information about it, state Panchayat Raj Minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao, Women and Child Welfare Minister Satyavati Rathod and Tourism Minister V Srinivas Goud spoke to the officials about rescuing the tourists safely.
Following the operation, officials took note of their health and offered medical services. According to media reports, 90 per cent of the tourists' health have been reported to be fine. However, one minor boy has sustained a Scorpio bite.
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The Met Centre of IMD in its Daily Weather Report of Telangana State on Wednesday said most places across Telangana received rains. Very heavy rainfall occurred at isolated places in Mulugu district, while heavy rainfall occurred at isolated places in Bhadradri-Kothagudem, Khammam, Karimnagar and other districts, it said.
Venkatapuram in Mulugu district received 19 centimetres of rainfall, followed by Kodad in Suryapet district (11 cm).
The district Collector Priyanka Ala urged people to postpone any travel plans and stay at home till normal conditions returned, an official release said.
