100-foot tall tree crushes teen in Nilgiris district

The deceased person Iman Agustine, studying first year B Com CA in a college in Kothagiri, was going to church with his mother Roshini, wife of Christopher, and his brother Vibin, 12, from the Fingerpost area when the incident happened, according to police.

Iman Agustine, who was staying in the college hostel, had visited his home for the weekend.

As they were walking near the Fingerpost bus stop on the Ooty-Gudalur National Highway, two trees got uprooted and crashed on the road.

One of the trees, which was more than 100 feet tall, fell on Iman Agustine, while his mother and brother, who were going in the front, managed to escape with injuries.

The boy suffered severe injuries on his head and was rushed to Ooty Government Hospital in an ambulance. However, he died on the way to the hospital.

In the tree fall, an electric post broke and a shop got damaged. Traffic was disrupted for more than two hours as the broken tree blocked the arterial stretch on the Ooty-Gudalur road.

Vehicles were diverted through alternative routes until the tree was removed by the Fire and Rescue personnel.

Nilgiris district Superintendent of Police Shanmugapriya visited the spot.

In a similar incident, the Nilgiris Mountain Railway train was delayed for about 20 minutes after a tree fell on the tracks between Wellington and Aravangadu railway stations near Coonoor.

In another incident, five persons, who were trapped inside a house after a huge tree fell on the building blocking the entrance, were rescued by neighbours in Coonoor late on Saturday night.

Several trees fell after heavy rainfall in many areas over the last few days.