Major disaster averted after tree collapse in Tirumala

TIRUPATI: A major disaster was averted in Tirumala in the early hours of Saturday after a huge tree collapsed and fell across the road. The tree, appearing several decades old, was uprooted after being heavily soaked by the incessant rains over the past two days. The tree fell off near the main luggage counter which, during the day time, is usually frequented by hordes of devotees. Fortunately, there were no casualties reported from the mishap as it happened in the wee hours of Saturday.

However, a car parked under the tree was severely damaged. The windows and the roof of the car were crushed under the heavy impact of the tree trunk falling on it. Since the accident occurred on the main road that leads to the Tirumala temple, vigilance and forest department personnel began the clearing operations by cutting the huge tree into pieces.

The tree was cut into pieces and loaded into lorries. The road was cleared within one hour of the incident.