CHENNAI: Ahead of a massive landslide striking Burliyar in The Nilgiris on October 23 that buried a TNSTC bus and left its driver dead, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) had flagged the risk of such an incident, raising questions over disaster preparedness and the implementation of safety recommendations in the vulnerable hill region.
According to information accessed by TNIE, the GSI issued a rainfall-induced landslide forecast bulletin at 2 pm on October 23, identifying Burliyar among several locations where isolated landslides could occur. The bulletin, valid from 2.30 pm on October 23 to 2.30 pm on October 24, indicated a moderate possibility of landslides in Udhagamandalam, Kotagiri and Coonoor taluks.
The warning preceded the landslide on the night of October 23, when a TNSTC bus heading towards Coimbatore from Coonoor was buried under mud, rocks and uprooted trees on the Mettupalayam-Coonoor ghat road at Burliyar. Burliyar had recorded 25 cm rain in the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 am on October 24.
Further, the GSI had in its warning separately documented a history of slope failures along the approximately 5-km Burliyar stretch of National Highway 181, recording 14 landslides, most involving cut-slope failures. Its landslide management map identified intersecting joints, extensive slope cutting without adequate support and river scouring below road level as factors contributing to instability.
When contacted, Commissioner of Disaster Management A Sivagnanam told TNIE that the GSI warning was very general in nature and difficult to act upon. He added that ground teams are now carrying out precautionary works along vulnerable stretches to mitigate the risk of landslides.
Disaster experts, however, say the explanation raises questions over why preventive works were not undertaken in advance in areas where the GSI had already documented repeated slope failures. It also remains unclear why the warning was not incorporated into the TN-Alert app to inform the public about potential risks.
The GSI had also made several recommendations, including slope stabilisation through retaining walls and improved water management to prevent road erosion. Adding to concerns, TN did not submit daily situation reports to the NDMA’s Integrated Control Room for Emergency Response between October 16 and 26, when the monsoon was particularly vigorous, sources said.