Sponsored Links
At least 36 tourists drowned when a boat capsized in the Periyar lake in Kerala's Idukki district on Wednesday evening. Victims include Foreign nationals also. The death count is feared to be increased. There were around 80 people on board the double-decked fibre glass boat on a two-hour cruise inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve, around 180 km from Kochi. The toll may go up as rescue in the deep lake is tough at night.Most tourists were from Delhi, Andhra and Karnataka. The identities of the deceased were being ascertained at various hospitals in Kumali, a hill town bordering Tamil Nadu. Over 40 people have been rescued by forest guards and natives.
Navy divers from the Southern Naval Command in Kochi have been flown in to recover bodies.
Home minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, who is also in charge of tourism, rushed to the accident site. "Every police station in the vicinity has been ordered to help in rescue. Forest department is also employing all its resources," he said.
The capsized boat, Jalakanyaka, belonged to Kerala Tourism Development Corporation, which operates four such boats for water safari inside the reserve. Tourists on another boat said the boat tipped when people crowded to one side for a better view of a herd of wild elephants.
If you really like this article, please promote this by sharing this on your favorite Social Networking location, by clicking below icons:
0 comments
Post a Comment