Six youths from Sakhali were safely rescued after they became stranded near a waterfall in Virdi village on the Goa-Maharashtra border following a sudden rise in river water levels caused by heavy rainfall.
According to reports, the group had travelled to the waterfall around noon on Saturday. With no signs of rain at the time, they crossed three rivers to reach the spot. However, while returning, heavy rain lashed the area, causing the rivers to swell rapidly and leaving the youths trapped inside the forest.
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Concern grew among their families when the youths failed to return home and could not be contacted late into the night. The group included the son of Sakhali Municipal Council Chairperson Siddhi Prabhu. After his mobile phone became unreachable, a search operation was launched.
Using mobile location data, Siddhi Prabhu, Vishal Chimulkar, and local residents began searching the forest area. A coordinated rescue operation was later carried out by the Maharashtra Forest Department, the Goa and Maharashtra Police, the Valpoi Fire and Emergency Services, and local volunteers.
The joint team successfully traced and rescued all six youths, who were safely brought back to Goa and reunited with their families at around 6 a.m.
Following the incident, Siddhi Prabhu appealed to parents, students, and young people to avoid visiting remote waterfalls and other isolated tourist destinations during the monsoon without informing their families. She cautioned that sudden increases in water levels at such locations can be life-threatening and urged everyone to follow safety guidelines and keep their loved ones informed of their whereabouts.
