A 15-year-old girl from Kerala's Palakkad district went missing near Manikyadhara Falls in Chikkamagaluru district, where she was traveling with her family, police said on Wednesday.
The student, identified as Nandana, was last seen at about 5.30pm while returning uphill after taking photographs, said an officer involved in the search.
A joint search operation was launched soon after, involving personnel from the police and forest departments, along with more than 30 forest staff.
Teams combed the surrounding hills through the evening, but dense fog and poor visibility slowed progress, said people aware of the matter.
Rescue personnel from the fire services, police and forest departments were divided into smaller groups and assigned specific routes based on the estimated path the girl may have taken after she was last seen.
Drone cameras were deployed again to survey interior forest areas, many of which are difficult to access on foot.
Local residents familiar with the area have also joined the effort.
Police officials said the location is typically crowded with visitors and expressed hope that the girl would be located.
