Valpoi: Six youths from Sanquelim, including the son of Sanquelim Municipal Council chairperson Siddhi Porob, were rescued on Monday morning after being stranded overnight at Vazra Sakla waterfall on the Goa–Maharashtra border due to a sudden rise in water levels.Officials said the group reached the waterfall around 2pm on Sunday when the water level was low, allowing them to cross the stream. However, continuous rainfall in surrounding areas caused the river to swell rapidly, cutting off their return route.Realising that crossing the fast-flowing water would be life-threatening, the youths moved to higher ground and waited in a safe location. With no mobile network in the area, they were unable to contact their families or emergency services.When the youths did not return home by late Sunday night, concerned family members alerted the police. Using mobile location data, police traced the group to the waterfall area, prompting a large-scale rescue operation.The rescue involved personnel from the Goa police, Maharashtra police, the forest department, fire and emergency services, and residents from Sanquelim. Despite poor visibility and difficult terrain, teams monitored the stranded youths through the night.With water levels remaining dangerously high, the group stayed at the location overnight. At around 5am on Monday, after conditions improved, rescue teams reached the site and safely evacuated all six youths without injury.Chief minister Pramod Sawant, after being informed about the incident, directed govt machinery and police to provide all necessary assistance to ensure the youths were rescued safely.Authorities have again appealed to the public to avoid visiting waterfalls, rivers, and forested areas during the monsoon, warning that water levels can rise suddenly due to upstream rainfall and create life-threatening situations even when conditions initially appear safe.
Realising that crossing the fast-flowing water would be life-threatening, the youths moved to higher ground and waited in a safe location
