Heavy rain batters Nilgiris, NMR cancels train services

As per revenue sources, a total of 24 houses were partially damaged and landslides occurred at 13 places, including three huge ones in Coonoor.
Heavy rain batters Nilgiris, NMR cancels train services

NILGIRIS: Heavy rain battered Coonoor and Kotagiri taluks on Tuesday night, resulting in landslides and uprooting of trees. But timely action by officials in clearing debris ensured traffic was not affected on the Mettupalayam - Coonoor NH.

As per revenue sources, a total of 24 houses were partially damaged and landslides occurred at 13 places, including three huge ones in Coonoor. With trees getting uprooted in Burliar and Aruvankadu, vehicular movement was banned between Mettupalayam to Coonoor from 10pm on Tuesday to 6am on Wednesday to facilitate rescue works.

As a result, vehicles between Ooty and Coonoor were diverted via Mettupalayam and Kotagiri. Flash floods swept away an auto, car and an omni bus parked on the roadside in Arockiapuram and Ambikapuram for some distance.

“More than 85 personnel from departments such as revenue, fire and rescue service, state highways, national highways and police carried out relief works during the rain. No human or animal casualty was reported due to the rain which started at 7 pm on Tuesday and lasted till 2 am on Wednesday.

We did not have to shift people from damaged houses as they themselves took shelter in the relatives house . District Collector SP Amrith was monitoring the situation frequently through out the night,” said K Sivakumar Tasildar of Coonoor. Collector Amrith inspected rain related damage at Arokiyapuram on Wednesday evening.

Out of 1277mm rainfall recorded in Nilgiris district, Coonoor received the highest rainfall of 303 mm in the last 24 hours ending on Wednesday morning 8am. Burliar received 90mm, Coonoor Rural 100mm, Kil Kotagiri 30 mm, Kotagiri 58mm, Hulical 102 and Kodanad 95mm. Schools and Colleges remained closed on Wednesday. Kotagiri Tahsildar Gayathri said nine houses were partially damaged and one house was fully damaged.

Boulders fell on the track following which Nilgiri Mountain Railway cancelled train service between Mettupalayam to Coonoor and Coonoor to Ooty. Services will remain cancelled between Mettupalayam and Ooty on 15 and 16 December.

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