Heavy rain continues across the Nilgiris

Heavy rains in Nilgiris prompt closure of tourist spots, causing damage and flooding, but no fatalities reported.

Heavy rains continued across the Nilgiris on Monday, with major towns of Udhagamandalam and Gudalur wearing a deserted look as all major tourist spots remained closed as a precautionary measure.

According to the Nilgiris district administration, an average of 89.64 millimeters of rain was recorded across the district till Monday morning with Udhagamandalam, Kundha and Gudalur receiving the majority of rainfall.

As a precaution, following the death of a tourist near Eighth Mile on Sunday, the district administration and the forest department had announced the closure of almost all tourist spots in Udhagamandalam town, including the Government Botanical Garden, Rose Garden, Doddabetta Peak, Pykara and Ooty Lake, Ninth Mile Shooting Spot and others.

Avalanche received more than 350 millimeters of rainfall overnight while heavy rain was also reported in Upper Bhavani and Gudalur.

The district administration stated that four huts were damaged due to the rains in Udhagamandalam, while over 43 trees had become uprooted across the district due to the rains. More than 300 banana trees were also destroyed in Gudalur due to the heavy rains, they stated.

The rains also led to localized flooding across many parts of Udhagamandalam town, particularly around the Ooty Railway Station, where a wetland had been destroyed by the Southern Railways for the construction of a parking lot. Environmentalists had raised concerns about the possibility of heavy flooding around the railway station due to the destruction of the wetland, but their appeals to halt the project went unheeded. The flooding led to traffic snarls as the stretch became impassible for most vehicles and pedestrians, who were forced to take the Good Shed Road to circumvent the flooded areas.

Minor landslips were also reported in a few locations, including the Ithalar to Bembatty Road, which was cleared by the state highways department. Fortunately, no fatalities or injuries were reported due to the rains on Monday.