 Death toll in Sunday's forest fire in Kurangani hills, Tamilnadu has risen to nine.
Speaking to newspersons in Chennai on Monday, the Comissioner for Revenue Administration Satyagopal said that a total of 37 people had gone for trekking in the hills near Bodinayakanur, Theni District on Saturday and were caught in the forest fire area.
He said atleast nine of them including six women fell into a gorge.
The Commissioner said one body has been retrieved and efforts are on to retrieve the rest of the bodies.
27 of the travellers were rescued, and ten of them sent home. Remaining 17 are undergoing treatment at the hospitals in Theni and Madurai.
Deputy Chief Minister Paneerselvam and Minister Dindigul Srinivasan are camping at Theni.
Four rescue helicopters from the Indian Air Force are involved in the rescue and fire dousing operations.
16 commandos, state fire and rescue services, forest officials and locals are being involved in retrieval of dead bodies.
Information centres have been opened in Theni with mobile numbers 94450 00586 and 99947 93321.
AIR correspondent reports a trekking club in Chennai has closed down suddenly and efforts are on to find out the owner who is said to be absconding.
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