As many as 160 tourists to a waterfall in Mulugu district of Telangana, who were stuck in the forest area unable to cross an overflowing stream, were rescued safely by the personnel of NDRF and others in the early hours of Thursday.

The tourists had gone to Mutyamdhara waterfall in Mulugu district on Wednesday and were stuck there as a stream was in spate making it difficult for them to come out of the forest area, official sources said.

After receiving information about it, state Panchayat Raj Minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao, Women and Child Welfare Minister Satyavati Rathod and Tourism Minister V Srinivas Goud spoke to the officials about rescuing the tourists safely.

Personnel of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police, forest department and others reached the tourists late on Wednesday.

About 160 tourists were safely rescued and brought to the mandal headquarters village of Venkatapuram around 4 AM on Thursday, a release from the Tourism Minister's office said.

The tourists were then sent to their destinations.

The Tourism Minister, who praised the rescue personnel and the administration for the safe rescue of the tourists, said it is not safe for people to visit the waterfalls in forest areas without the permission of authorities.

Meanwhile, heavy rains continued to lash Telangana, leading to inundation of low-lying areas.

Second flood warning was issued as water level in Godavari river in the temple town of Bhadrachalm stood at 50.50 ft (third and final flood warning level is 53 ft).

The district Collector Priyanka Ala urged people to postpone any travel plans and stay at home till normal conditions returned, an official release said.

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