Following the death of a woman tourist in flash floods on Independence Day, the Minister for Municipal Administration, SP Velumani has ordered the forest department officials to step up safety measures at Kovai Courtalam.

The minister visited the spot and has asked the officials to not let the visitors near the waterfalls during the rainy seasons. He also praised the local villagers who had come to the rescue of the 17 tourists who were swept away in the flashfloods, and saved them from certain death.

The deceased tourist was a software engineer named Meena. More than 3500 people had gathered at the falls on the national holiday.