TN tourist dies after being swept away in Palakkad waterfall; another rescued

A tourist from Tamil Nadu died while another was rescued after the two were swept away by strong currents at the Palakuzhy waterfall in Kerala's Palakkad district on Sunday, 2 August, despite restrictions on visitors to the area following heavy rainfall, officials said.

The deceased was identified as Bhanupriya, a resident of Coimbatore. Another tourist, Bharat, sustained minor injuries and was rescued by Fire and Rescue Services personnel.

According to officials at the Vadakkencherry fire station, they received an alert in the afternoon that a young man and a woman had been swept away by strong currents at the waterfall in Kizhakkenchery.

A rescue team rushed to the spot and launched an operation. Bharat, who had fallen onto rocks, was pulled to safety using ropes and shifted to a hospital for treatment, officials said.

Bhanupriya was also swept downstream and fell onto a rocky stretch. Rescuers reached her after nearly two hours of efforts, but she was found dead, officials said.

The victims were part of a five-member group from Coimbatore that had travelled to the waterfall. Officials said the Palakkad district administration had prohibited tourists from visiting hilly areas, including the Palakkuzhi waterfall, because of heavy rain and the heightened risk of flash floods and landslides.

The incident comes as several parts of Kerala continue to receive heavy monsoon rainfall, with authorities issuing alerts in multiple districts, restricting access to vulnerable tourist destinations and cautioning people against visiting rivers, waterfalls and other water bodies due to the risk of sudden surges in water levels.

Police said the group had reached the waterfall unaware of the restrictions in force. They are now investigating how the tourists managed to enter the prohibited area despite the ban.

Bhanupriya's body will be handed over to her family after a postmortem examination on Monday, police said.

With PTI inputs