Heavy overnight rain in the Nilgiris triggered multiple landslides, disrupting traffic on the Coonoor–Mettupalayam road and the Kotagiri road. Trees also fell at several points, officials said.
A state-run bus carrying passengers from Ooty to Coimbatore was travelling towards Mettupalayam around 10 pm when it reached near the Burliyar police check-post. With a fallen tree blocking the road, passengers got down and moved towards Burliyar, while only the driver and conductor remained inside the bus.
Soon after, a major landslide—bringing down mud along with trees and rocks—collapsed onto the bus, burying it completely. The driver and conductor were trapped inside through the night as rescue teams and police rushed to the spot and began intensive recovery operations.
The conductor, Kesavan, was pulled out with injuries and admitted to the Mettupalayam Government Hospital. The driver, Janakaraj, was later recovered dead.
Landslides were also reported at more than five locations along the Mettupalayam–Coonoor mountain railway line. The Mettupalayam-to-Ooty mountain train service has been cancelled for today and tomorrow, and ministers Kamali and Sampath Kumar, along with senior police officials including the IG, DIG and SP, inspected the site.
