CHENNAI: The Nilgiris district has been placed under a red alert for extremely heavy rainfall on Saturday, with fallen trees and landslides disrupting traffic on several roads. District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya has urged tourists and the public to exercise caution and avoid travelling to Ooty through the mountain routes from Mettupalayam, according to a Daily Thanthi report.
The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai, issued the red alert in view of the forecast of extremely heavy rainfall in the district. With road access affected by the weather, authorities have appealed to people to avoid unnecessary travel through vulnerable stretches.
Heavy rainfall has also triggered landslides and tree falls across the Nilgiris and Coimbatore districts. A Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus driver was killed and the conductor seriously injured after a mudslide and uprooted trees buried their bus near Burliar. In a separate incident, more than 150 students from Kerala who were stranded following a landslide in the Mettupalayam–Ooty region were rescued by police, firefighters and district officials
Lakshmi Bhavya has advised people travelling from Mettupalayam to Ooty to avoid the routes through Coonoor and Kotagiri amid the continuing rain and the risk of further disruption.
Fallen trees and landslides have affected traffic movement in parts of the Nilgiris. The adverse weather has raised concerns over the safety of motorists and tourists using the hill roads, where heavy rain can increase the risk of falling trees and slope failures.
The public has been asked to remain cautious and follow official advisories while the district faces the impact of the rainfall.
Following the red alert, teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed in the Nilgiris district to assist with emergency response and disaster management.
The deployment comes as authorities prepare for the possibility of further rainfall-related incidents. Fallen trees and landslides have already disrupted traffic, making preparedness and public safety key concerns.
The Chennai Meteorological Centre has issued an orange alert for very heavy rainfall in nine districts on Saturday. These are Villupuram, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Kallakurichi, Tiruvannamalai, Coimbatore and Nagapattinam.
Heavy rainfall has also been forecast in 24 districts, including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu. With different parts of Tamil Nadu expected to receive significant rainfall, residents have been advised to remain alert to weather updates and follow instructions issued by local authorities.