Drill on rescuing flash flood victims held in Courtallam

Fire and Rescue Service Force conducts drill rescuing tourists from flash floods at Courtallam, demonstrating swift response and action.

Commandos of Fire and Rescue Service Force conducted on Friday a drill on rescuing tourists from flash floods at Courtallam.

When Old Courtallam Falls experienced flash floods triggered by heavy downpour in the Western Ghats on May 17 last year, a 17-year-old boy from NGO Colony in Palayamkottai was washed away. Even before the bathers could realise the impending danger and could come out of the waterfalls, the heavy inflow inundated the path leading to the waterfalls.

While Ashwin, a Class II boy, was washed away, others managed to save themselves. The fire and rescue services personnel, after a search in the nearby trench, retrieved the body of Ashwin.

Hence, the district administration organised a drill at the Main Falls of Courtallam on Friday. As the commandos of Fire and Rescue Service Force demonstrated the rescue of a victim from the whirlpool, District Collector A. K. Kamal Kishore, District Fire Officer E. Bhanupriya, government officials and students witnessed the rescue operation.