India: At least 9 people killed in Tamil Nadu forest fire *GRAPHIC*

At least nine people were killed after a forest fire broke out in the Indian Theni district of Tamil Nadu on Sunday.

A further 30, mostly students, have now been rescued after having been trapped in the Indian Kurangani hills and taken to hospital.

The Indian Air Force is carrying out a search mission more stranded people.

A group of 39 trekkers left on a hike from from Kurangani to Bodi in the Western Ghats on Friday. The group was caught in a forest fire on Sunday on their return home.