Mosquitoes and heat drive elephants out of forest; Locals panic due to the rampaging elephants in their residential area
Coimbatore: Five wild elephants rampaged Valparai residential areas and knocked down row houses. Tea estate workers panicked and demanded authorities to take steps to immediately ensure that elephants did not stray into residential areas.
Wild elephants in Valparai usually lie low inside forest territory during rainy seasons. However, a decrease in rainfall and increase in humidity has increased mosquito breeding inside forest areas and elephants were forced to emerge out of the forests.
Five wild elephants demolished row houses built for plantation workers in Valparai. Residents were forced to climb over the roofs to escape from the rampaging elephants. Tea plantation guards chased the wild elephants with the help of trucks and rescued the residents.
Since the elephants were found to be strolling in the same residential area, residents were moved to alternative houses. Though the Forest Department and guards areclosely monitoring the wild elephants, locals continue to live in fear of further elephant attacks.
Wild elephants in Valparai usually lie low inside forest territory during rainy seasons. However, a decrease in rainfall and increase in humidity has increased mosquito breeding inside forest areas and elephants were forced to emerge out of the forests.
Five wild elephants demolished row houses built for plantation workers in Valparai. Residents were forced to climb over the roofs to escape from the rampaging elephants. Tea plantation guards chased the wild elephants with the help of trucks and rescued the residents.
Since the elephants were found to be strolling in the same residential area, residents were moved to alternative houses. Though the Forest Department and guards areclosely monitoring the wild elephants, locals continue to live in fear of further elephant attacks.