NILGIRIS: A 43-year-old man died after his mud house collapsed due to rain at Othamaram in Nondimedu in the wee hours on Monday. The deceased has been identified as Arumugam, a casual labourer who had been living alone for the last several years after separating from his family.
Arumugam’s neighbours noticed the debris at 6 am on Monday and informed police and revenue department, suspecting that he may have been trapped inside. Police recovered the body and sent it to Udhagamandalam government hospital for post mortem examination. Tamil Development and Information and Publicity Minister MP Swaminathan, and district collector, Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneru visited the GH and paid homage to his body. The minister handed over a solatium cheque for Rs 4 lakh to Arumugam’s mother Sarasu.
Meanwhile, a group of people living in mud houses in the locality have been shifted to a nearby community hall.
With rain lashing the district, water entered the railway police station and TNSTC bus stand near the boathouse. Moreover, a goods van was caught in the Ooty railway underpass and was recovered by fire and rescue staff. Labourers at the tea estate and carrot fields faced hardship.
On Monday, holidays were declared to schools and colleges in Udhagamandalam, Gudalur, and Kotagiri Taluks.
According to the Met Department, the district received a total rainfall of 687.8 mm in the last 24 hours ending 8.30 am on Monday. Gudalur received the highest rainfall of 73 mm followed by Kodanad with 71 mm
Speaking to reporters, a meeting with the officials on steps needed to be taken as red alert has been issued for the district, collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneru said there has not been any major damage so far and that the district administration is prepared to handle the situation. Along with 45 regional teams, 80 members of the Tamil Nadu State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are stationed in Gudalur, Kotagiri, and Coonoor, she added.