(MENAFN- IANS) Chennai, Oct 13 (IANS) In a heart-wrenching incident, a 55-year-old woman and her young granddaughter were trampled to death by a herd of wild elephants that strayed into a workers' settlement near Valparai in Coimbatore district during the early hours of Monday.

The tragedy occurred around 3.30 a.m. at the Water Falls Estate, a tea plantation region known for frequent elephant movement.

According to forest officials, the herd entered the labour quarters in search of food. As the animals rampaged through the area, they attacked a house where the victims -- identified as Asala (55) and her granddaughter Hemasri -- were asleep. Both were fatally trampled before neighbours could raise an alarm. By the time rescue teams arrived, the two had succumbed to their injuries. Their bodies were recovered and sent for post-mortem at Valparai Government Hospital.

Forest personnel from the Valparai Range rushed to the spot and are investigating the incident.

Officials are also setting up additional warning systems and patrols to monitor elephant movement in the area.

The sudden intrusion of elephants into human habitats has once again raised concerns about the growing frequency of man-animal conflicts in the hill regions of Tamil Nadu.

Valparai, located in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve buffer zone, has witnessed several similar tragedies over the past few years. The lush tea and coffee estates often overlap with elephant corridors, forcing the animals to navigate through human settlements.

Earlier this year, a 42-year-old estate worker was killed near Sholayar when a lone tusker attacked him on his way to work.

In another case last December, a farmer was trampled near Cinchona village after accidentally confronting an elephant at dawn.

Wildlife experts attribute the recurring attacks to habitat fragmentation and reduced food availability in the forests.

Encroachments, shrinking forest cover, and electric fencing have disrupted the elephants' natural routes, often driving them toward populated areas in search of food and water.

Authorities have been experimenting with early-warning systems, including thermal sensors and elephant trackers, but unpredictable migration patterns continue to pose challenges.

The latest deaths in Valparai have sparked outrage among local residents, who have demanded stronger preventive measures, including the relocation of workers' quarters away from known elephant paths and night-time patrolling to avert further loss of life.

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