The ecologically fragile Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu was hit by as many as 62 landslips in the 24 hours ending at 7 a.m. on Sunday (October 25, 2026), following light to moderate spell of rain across the district.
According to official data from the district administration, heavy damage to infrastructure was reported, with 15 huts partly damaged, one hut fully collapsed and 16 revetments damaged across the district. The continuous spell led to the damage of two high-tension poles, nine low-tension poles and one distribution transformer. A total of 28 trees were uprooted.
Parsons Valley gets highest rainfall
The district recorded a cumulative total rainfall of 453.9 mm during the 24-hour period, with an overall average rainfall of 14.64 mm. Ten out of the 31 rain gauge statins in the district received moderate rain, with the remaining locations recorded light rain in the 24 hours.
Parsons Valley in Udhagamandalam taluk recorded the highest rainfall in the district at 52 mm, followed by Upper Bhavani in Kundah taluk at 38 mm and Naduvattam and Glenmorgan (also in Udhagamandalam taluk) at 37 mm each.
The district had 19 landslips in the previous 24 hours ending on Saturday (October 24) morning. One of landslips reported at Burliyar on the Coonoor-Mettupalayam ghat section near Nilgiris-Coimbatore border struck a TNSTC bus, killing its driver and injuring the conductor.
Vehicular traffic, tourism
Traffic along Mettupalayam-Coonoor stretch remains suspended and vehicles are being allowed to and fro Nilgiris along Mettupalayam-Kotagiri Road between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., said police sources.
People who want to travel to Coonoor and Udhagamandalam (Ooty) from Mettupalayam and vice versa must use Kotagiri Road during the permitted hours. Tourism activities in the Nilgiris also remain suspended for three days from Saturday.
Heavy rain on Sunday
Several parts of the Nilgiris received heavy rains from Sunday afternoon and continued through the night. As a result, new landslips were reported on the Coonoor-Mettupalayam ghat section. A man and his son suffered injuries after a tree fell onto their house at Ketti in the district. A huge tree fell onto a stationary car near Rose Garden at Udhagamandalam town, which received heavy rain in the evening. On Avalanche road, a tree fell onto a house. Trees were uprooted at several other locations.
Burliyar landslip site
The landslip site near Burliyar on the Mettupalayam-Udhagamandalam Road, where a TNSTC bus was caught under the debris on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, resulting in the driver being killed and the conductor injured, continues to remain in a precarious condition.
Officials and workers undertaking rescue operations at Burliyar, where a TNSTC bus was caught in a landslip, on Saturday.
| Photo Credit:
M. PERIASAMY
Authorities are concerned about large boulders that may fall from the slope in the event of an extreme or heavy rainfall. Officials from the Department of Geology and Mining visited the place on Sunday, where the debris from the road has been removed. However, work could not be continued for long due to the rain.
“It is a very tricky terrain. The boulders remaining on the slope have to be dealt with very carefully. Experts are evaluating how to remove them safely without causing more damage to the road,” Coimbatore Collector Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar told The Hindu. He said embankments of the ghat section were found damaged at four places between Mettupalayam and Burliyar during an assessment carried out on Sunday. Crash barriers and the road surface were also found damaged in some places.
“Temporary restoration works have been completed at places where embankments were damaged. Considering heavy vehicle movement on the road, which connects to Udhagamandalam, a team of experts from the office of the Commissioner of Revenue Administration, Chennai, inspected the stretch between Mettupalayam and Burliyar on Sunday. The experts will give us a comprehensive idea of the places where works, including restorations, have to be carried out,” he said. The team also identified a few places that were prone to landslip and falling trees.
Mr. Giriyappanavar said the team would evaluate the entire stretch between Mettupalayam and Udhagamandalam. “They will assess and tell us what all the temporary works needed to be carried out to restore the traffic,” he said.
According to him, since the road was under the control of the National Highways, a team from the National Highways Regional Office in Chennai would visit the entire stretch on Monday (October 26, 2026). “Since there is an orange alert, and the rainfall is also heavy for the next couple of days, we want to leave no stone unturned. We will be able to allow the traffic until the assessment is completed and we get a clearance from the National Highways,” Mr. Giriyappanavar added.
NMR services cancelled
Owing to the rain and obstructions caused by landslips, Southern Railway has suspended Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) services between Mettupalayam and Coonoor from Saturday.
A landslip that occurred on Sunday at the Hillgrove railway station.
| Photo Credit:
M. SATHYAMOORTHY
Services between the two stations were suspended from Saturday, following a spell of heavy overnight rain, triggering fall of trees and debris onto the track. Sources with the Salem Division said that obstructions caused by landslips and fall of boulders and trees across the track have been reported at over 25 places.
Though works were underway to remove the obstructions, incessant rain was resulting in fresh obstructions. However, train services between Coonoor and Udhagamandalam were not affected, said the sources.
The following trains will remain cancelled on Monday: train No.56136 (Mettupalayam-Udagamandalam), train No.56137 (Udagamandalam-Mettupalayam) and train No.06172 (Udagamandalam-Mettupalayam special train).
Published – October 25, 2026 11:52 am IST
