Heavy rain triggers landslips in Ooty, Coonoor

Udhagamandalam: Heavy rain lashed the Nilgiri hills, especially Coonoor and its surroundings, on Sunday night causing havoc. A road level bridge under construction near Marapalam on the Coonoor-Mettupalayam road was washed away partially due to the rains. Several landslips, though not major, occurred across Coonoor and Ooty taluks.
Nilgiris collector J Innocent Divya declared a holiday for schools in Coonoor taluk on Monday.
While Coonoor received 90.5 mm of rain, the highest in the district, for 24 hours ending 8 am on Monday, Ketti registered 39 mm. Ooty got 25.1 mm of rain. Burliar and Kotagiri registered 60 and 22 mm.
According to Geetha Priya, revenue divisional officer (Coonoor division), several landslips near residential areas were reported in Coonoor and Ooty divisions. “Mud was being cleared in all areas. One such big mud slip near a road at Nunthalamattam near Ooty was also cleared quickly for traffic,” Geetha Priya told TOI.
However, heavy damage to a road level bridge which was under construction near Marapalam caused a road block. The Coonoor-Mettupalayam road was closed for traffic for over 6 hours till 10am. Traffic was diverted through the Mettupalayam-Kotagiri road.
Following the initiative taken by the collector, the highways department pitched in to mend the road, though temporarily. By 10 am, the road was opened for vehicles going downhill from Coonoor.
“By 3pm two-way traffic resumed on the Coonoor-Mettupalayam road,” said Geetha Priya.
However, according to highways officials, the repair work is temporary. If rain persists on Monday night the Coonoor-Mettupalayam road will have to be closed as a precautionary measure.
As the NMR track between Coonoor and Kallar saw a few landslips, the mountain train connecting the Nilgiri Express was delayed by more than an hour to reach Ooty. A set of services of the mountain train between Ooty and Coonoor and vice-versa was also cancelled as a major landslip occurred near Wellington.
A monsoon preparedness meeting headed by Nilgiris collector was held on September 5. According to the district administration, disaster management is in place to tackle any unforeseen situation.