Intense northeast monsoon showers lashed the Nilgiris from the night before last, triggering multiple landslides across Coonoor’s Barliyar area and Kotagiri, and also in Kodaikanal in Dindigul district.
In Barliyar, a government bus was buried in a landslide, killing the driver. Several roads were cut off in the affected hill regions, disrupting movement and relief access.
Authorities have imposed a temporary ban on tourist arrivals to Ooty and Kodaikanal until weather conditions improve. Residents have been advised to stay alert as the monsoon remains active.
The district administration has shared emergency contact numbers for assistance, including the toll-free 1077 and district control room lines. Local control room numbers have also been issued for Ooty, Coonoor, Gudalur, Kotagiri, Kundah and Pandalur.
Meanwhile, the Coonoor–Mettupalayam mountain railway line reported soil slips at around 40 locations, including a major slide near Neegro. As a result, services on the Coonoor–Mettupalayam stretch have been cancelled for four days, while only the Ooty–Coonoor section was operated.
