Nilgiris landslides have disrupted road connectivity across the hill district after torrential rain triggered 69 slope failures, uprooted trees and damaged road infrastructure, prompting round-the-clock restoration work by highways authorities. Traffic restrictions are in force on the Coonoor–Mettupalayam route, while Nilgiri Mountain Railway services have been cancelled for three days.
The district recorded cumulative rainfall of 734.5mm in the 24 hours ending at 7am on Monday, according to the report. Kinnakorai received the highest rainfall at 110mm, followed by Kotagiri at 68mm, Burliar at 59mm and Yedappalli at 54mm.
The latest rainfall followed another intense spell in the preceding 24-hour period ending Sunday morning, when the district recorded 453.9mm. Parsons Valley received 52mm during that period, which was associated with 62 landslips and 28 tree falls.
The district administration’s damage assessment listed 43 uprooted trees, 18 damaged revetments and partial damage to 18 huts over the weekend. Three people, including two men and a woman, sustained injuries in rain-related incidents. The administration’s daily bulletin recorded no fatalities, although a landslide on the Coonoor–Mettupalayam road on the Coimbatore district side killed a government bus driver on Friday night.
Highways teams from Coimbatore and the Nilgiris deployed eight earthmovers to remove mud, boulders and fallen trees from the Coonoor–Mettupalayam Road. Workers also placed sandbags along vulnerable slopes to limit soil erosion, while geology experts inspected high-risk locations to assess slope stability.
Traffic restrictions have been imposed at the Kallar check post on the Mettupalayam Road. Only emergency, rescue and relief vehicles are being permitted towards Coonoor and Udhagamandalam. Other vehicles have been diverted through the Mettupalayam–Kotagiri route, while night travel has been suspended between 6pm and 6am.
The disruption has also affected the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, a key tourist and local transport connection between the plains and the hill district. Train services between Mettupalayam and Udhagamandalam have been cancelled from October 27 to 29.
District officials have ordered continuous surveillance of vulnerable slopes, buffer stocks of sandbags and power transformers, and readiness for evacuations. Senior officials inspected restored stretches at Thalaiyattimund and Kundah, and joint inspections were ordered in Balacola. Restoration and monitoring operations are continuing on the affected routes.
