Belagavi: Heavy rainfall in the Western Ghats region of Maharashtra triggered a landslide near Amboli Ghat on Tuesday night (July 7), sending huge boulders crashing onto the road.
A major tragedy was narrowly averted as a bus and a car escaped the falling rocks by a whisker.
The boulders rolled onto the Belagavi-Vengurla State Highway just as a Maharashtra State Transport bus and a car were passing through the stretch. Fortunately, both vehicles escaped the incident by a hair's breadth, preventing a major accident.
Police rushed to the spot and carried out an inspection. Vehicular movement on the highway was completely suspended for several hours before JCB machines were deployed to clear the fallen rocks and restore traffic.
With heavy rains continuing across the Western Ghats, authorities have warned of an increased risk of landslides. The Maharashtra government has issued a high alert for the Amboli Ghat region and advised motorists to exercise extreme caution while travelling through the area.
Amboli Falls is a popular monsoon tourist destination that attracts large numbers of visitors every year. However, the recent landslide has raised concerns among tourists planning to visit the region during the rainy season.