Nilgiris (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 25 : A 15-year-old boy from Kerala tragically died on Sunday after a tree fell on him amid strong winds and heavy rainfall in the 8th Mile area near Ooty, located in Tamil Nadu's Nilgiris district.
The incident occurred while the boy was on a sightseeing trip with his family. As weather conditions worsened across the district, a sudden gust of wind uprooted a tree, which fell on the child.
The family members rushed the injured boy to the Ooty Government Medical College Hospital with serious bleeding wounds.
However, doctors at the hospital examined him and declared him dead.
The Pykara police have launched an initial investigation into the incident.
According to Pykara police, the tree collapse was due to strong winds and continuous rain, which had loosened the soil and weakened the roots.
Following the tragic incident, Tamil Nadu Minister for Works MP Saminathan, Government Whip K. Ramachandran, and District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Taninyu visited the hospital, laid a wreath on the boy's body, and expressed condolences to the grieving family.
Addressing reporters, State Minister Saminathan said, "The district administration has taken precautionary measures well, and so far only a small number of people have stayed in two flood relief camps and the impact has been avoided as tourists and locals have already been warned about the rain. However, it is sad that the boy from Kerala has died."
District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Dhaneeru said that major tourist attractions, including Doddabetta, Pykara Boat House, Udhagamandalam Boat House, Government Botanical Garden, and Rose Garden, have now been closed due to ongoing adverse weather conditions.
The Collector further urged tourists to remain indoors and refrain from venturing out, given the seriousness of the weather alerts. "We have contacted the District Collectors of Wayanad and Malappuram in Kerala and Chamarajanagar in Karnataka to inform them about the closure of tourist sites. Emergency contact numbers have been shared, and the respective state media have been requested to disseminate the information," she said.
She also confirmed that 13 fallen trees were cleared promptly by emergency response teams and that the police and forest department have been instructed to carry out continuous patrols and surveillance at all closed tourist locations.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Nilgiris district for Sunday and Monday, warning of widespread heavy to very heavy rainfall. In light of this, the district administration has ordered the closure of all major tourist attractions, including Pykara Boat House, Baikara Falls, Doddabetta Peak, Pine Forest, and the Shooting Range.
Tourists who are currently in the district have been advised to return to their accommodations by 4 PM daily until the weather improves.