A 22-year-old youth from Hyderabad reportedly drowned at Thatiguda waterfalls in Ananthagiri mandal in Visakhapatnam Agency area on Sunday.
The deceased was identified as K. Rana Prasad, a resident of Yousufguda, Hyderabad, and a third-year mechanical engineering student. According to Circle Inspector of Araku police station Pydaiah, four friends from Yousufguda were on a tour to Araku.
On Sunday, they visited Thatiguda waterfalls. While others went for swimming, Rana Prasad climbed a rock and he accidentally slipped and fell into the water. He became unconscious after suffering injury on his head. He believed to have swallowed water and died. His friends could not help him, the police said.
“During normal times, local youth warn outsiders not to go inside waters or to climb rocks. Due to COVID-19 situation, there was no one nearby to alert them,” said Mr. Pydaiah.
The body was shifted to the S.Kota hospital. Parents of the youth were informed and they are scheduled to reach on Monday morning. A case was registered.
This is second drowning death in Ananthagiri mandal in a week. On August 16, a youth from Akkayyapalem in Visakhapatnam city drowned at Sariya waterfalls. Locals from the Agency said that despite the COVID-19 pandemic and increase in the cases in the district, many youths are visiting tourist spots, especially waterfalls, in the Agency. Most of the unrecognised waterfalls are unmanned and dangerous, they say.
