Heavy overnight rainfall in Tamil Nadu's Nilgiris and Coimbatore districts triggered landslides at multiple locations, killing a government bus driver, injuring a conductor, washing away a house in Barliyar village and disrupting road traffic, with landslides reported at more than 10 locations along the Coonoor-Mettupalayam National Highway.
The continuous rainfall on Friday night triggered landslides and uprooted trees at several locations along the highway, bringing traffic on the affected stretch to a complete halt. Disaster response teams, fire and rescue personnel, and highways department officials are engaged in clearing mud, stones, boulders and fallen trees from the roads and restoring connectivity.
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Nilgiris District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru and Superintendent of Police Brinda inspected the landslide-hit locations and are monitoring the ongoing clearance and restoration operations.
Speaking to ANI, District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru said, "Heavy rainfall on Friday evening had caused landslips at several locations across the district, particularly along the Coonoor-Mettupalayam highway. Clearance operations began on Saturday morning, and the district administration issued an advisory asking the public to avoid travelling on the affected roads unless it was an emergency."
"We had heavy rainfall in Nilgiris district yesterday evening, and there were landslips at various places, especially all across the Coonoor-Mettupalayam highway. We have been clearing these since morning and have also issued an advisory to the public to avoid using these roads unless it is for emergency purposes," the District Collector added.
She said the affected roads would be opened for regular traffic only after the debris was cleared and the stability of the road stretches had been assessed. The highways department will examine the condition of the roads, and traffic will be permitted once the necessary clearance is granted. The administration will inform the public when the roads are safe to use.
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"We have requested the public not to use these roads until we clear everything and to prevent any accidents. After clearing the highways, we will check the stability of the road, and once they give clearance, we will issue information to the public. Then they can start travelling," Tanneeru said.
The District Collector added that passengers stranded in buses and other vehicles had been evacuated and shifted to camps in the Coonoor area. Basic facilities, including food, are being arranged for them while they wait for weather conditions to improve.
Tanneeru also said that a few public schools in Coonoor had been opened to accommodate affected people, with officials deployed at the facilities to assist. The district administration has issued a public advisory containing contact numbers for offices across the district, and residents can contact the emergency helpline, 1077, at any time for assistance and information.
Moreover, a government bus driver, identified as Janakaraj, died after the landslide struck the Mettupalayam-Ooty road near Barliyar following heavy rainfall. The bus conductor, Kesavan, sustained injuries and was rescued after a prolonged operation. He was admitted to Mettupalayam Government Hospital for treatment.
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A goods vehicle transporting chickens was also caught in the landslide and swept into a gorge. Its driver escaped unhurt. No passengers were on the government bus at the time of the landslide, averting further casualties.
The landslide, triggered by the heavy rainfall, sent rocks, trees and mud crashing onto the bus. The goods vehicle carrying chickens, which was parked nearby, was also caught in the landslide and swept into a gorge.
Janakaraj died in the incident, while Kesavan was rescued with injuries after the prolonged rescue operation and shifted to Mettupalayam Government Hospital for treatment.
Heavy rainfall in the Barliyar village area also washed away a house, leaving its residents devastated after they lost their home and belongings. The occupants, however, managed to escape unharmed.
The residents said that everything they had accumulated over the years, including their house, property, money and a two-wheeler, had been swept away or buried under the mud, leaving no trace of the house that once stood there.
"Everything we saved over the years, our house, property and money, is gone," the residents said, expressing anguish over the loss of their belongings and hard-earned savings.
The distressed residents have appealed to the district administration to consider their plight and provide appropriate relief and compensation.
Meanwhile, heavy rainfall caused waterlogging in several parts of the Nilgiris district, affecting residents and disrupting normal life. Rainwater entered several houses in the Vandipettai and Agraharam areas, leaving residents facing difficulties amid waterlogging.
A car was crushed in the incident, while six two-wheelers and several other vehicles were damaged.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation and carry out clearance and restoration operations at the affected locations. The district administration has urged the public to avoid non-essential travel on the affected roads until debris removal and safety assessments are completed.