DHARMAPURI: Coracle drivers were affected as more than 600 life jackets worth ₹6 lakh were destroyed in a fire at a shed in Hogenakkal on Monday night.
Over 400 coracles operate in Hogenakkal on rotational basis daily. According to a police source, the life jackets stored in a shed caught fire at around 8 pm on Monday. Fire and rescue service staff rushed to the spot and put out the fire.
After a complaint from Durai Raj of Pennagaram, a coracle contractor, Hogenakkal police are enquiring about the issue, but they have ruled out electrical fire.
Meanwhile, due to heavy rain in Hogenakkal, the inflow increased to 12,000 cusecs on June 18, forcing the administration to ban tourism in the area. The ban was lifted on June 20 after the water inflow was reduced to 6,500 cusecs. But the inflow increased to 9,500 cusecs on Tuesday again, which forced the administration to put a ban again, due to which more untoward incidents could be prevented.