CHENNAI: Heavy rain in Nilgiris district triggered multiple mudslides on Saturday, and a bus was buried in one such incident, killing its driver, while over 100 students from Kerala had a providential escape as their vehicles halted about 300 m behind.
As mud, uprooted trees, and rocks tumbled down the slopes amid heavy rain, the government bus was buried, and rescue personnel slogged for hours to pull the driver and conductor out of neck-deep slush.
However, the driver, identified as Janagaraj, succumbed to injuries, and the conductor, Kesavan, is being treated at a hospital. The incident happened on the intervening night of October 23-24, and the bus was headed to Mettupalayam from Coonnoor.
At least two buses carrying students, headed towards Mettupalayam -- on their way back home to Palakkad in Kerala -- though narrowly escaped. They were later stranded due to the mudslides, like the over 200 vehicles across the mountainous highway. The students were among those safely rescued and brought to a shelter. At the hospital, Kesavan said only he and the driver were caught in the horrifying mishap.
A video clip widely shared on social media showed the bus hanging precariously on the hillside, buried under mud, debris and branches of trees. Earthmovers were being used to clear the debris.
The sheer force of the mudslide severely crushed the roof and portions of the bus, causing it to tilt dangerously toward the edge of the mountain road. The mud smashed through the windows, filling the inside of the bus with a thick wave of debris and heavy slush.
The driver was tragically pinned inside the crushed cabin under the weight of the mud and fallen trees, while Kesavan suffered severe injuries before rescuers could break through the wreckage to pull him out.
In Theetukkal area in Ooty, a retaining wall at a hotel collapsed, damaging two cars and six two-wheelers. A night watchman trapped in the mud was rescued by Fire and Rescue personnel.
Meanwhile, the stranded students were safely evacuated to Mettupalayam in mini-buses, where food and shelter were provided under the supervision of Backward Classes Welfare Minister V Sampath Kumar and senior officials. All the students were safe, and they were brought down from the damaged ghat road with the help of police and fire and rescue services personnel, the minister later told reporters.
