50 Rescued, 30 Still Stranded At Goa’s Pali Waterfall Amidst Heavy Rainfall

Panaji: Around 50 people were rescued while 30 were still stuck at Pali waterfall in North Goa's Sattari taluka on Sunday after the water level suddenly rose amid heavy downpours. According to the officials, another 30 people are still stranded at the site and the efforts are underway to rescue them.

Superintendent of Police (North) Akshat Kaushal said a rescue operation is currently underway at the waterfall with the help of personnel from Fire and Emergency Services.

Being a Sunday, the waterfall witnessed a huge rush in the morning. One has to cross a river to access this scenic place. Located in Sattari in Mhadei wildlife sanctuary, Pali has been designated as a “low-risk” waterfall trail, where trekking is permitted but swimming is not allowed.

IMD Warns of Heavy To Very Heavy Rainfall

Amid heavy rains, the flow of water at the waterfall suddenly increased, catching the monsoon revellers off guard. Meanwhile, the river also swelled up, trapping them, the official said.

Kaushal said 50 people have been rescued so far.

“Another 30 people were still stranded at the waterfall. The rescue operation is going on,” he said.

The state’s forest department had banned entry to waterfalls in the state in June after a few incidents of drownings were reported. However, the forest department later revised its order and allowed access to low-risk waterfalls in the state, adding that “safety was the main priority”.

The India Meteorological Department has warned of a “moderate flash flood risk” in coastal Karnataka and Goa over the next 24 hours. A red alert has been issued predicting “heavy to very heavy rainfall” with strong surface winds in Goa on Sunday.

As heavy rains continued Sunday morning, a landslide was reported at Connem Priol on the national highway, following which traffic was diverted from Farmagudi to Mardol and block clearing work was initiated. The stretch was cleared by traffic police around 4 pm.