COIMBATORE: As rains continued unabated in the Nilgiris, tourist vehicles were barred from going through Ooty-Gudalur National Highways until further notification due to the risk of mud slips and falling of boulders.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Nilgiris District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru appealed to people to avoid coming out unnecessarily due to the heavy rain forecast for the next two days.

“All tourist spots, including the Government Botanical Garden, are closed again due to heavy rain forecast. A mud slip occurred on the Ooty-Gudalur NH at Thavalamalai, and boulders are stuck between trees, posing a risk of rolling down anytime. Hence, as a precaution, heavy vehicles and tourist vehicles are prohibited from going through the way,” she said.

Besides emergency services like ambulances, public transport buses alone will be allowed from 6 am to 6 pm. “Joint teams comprising the highways and revenue departments have taken efforts to remove the mud blocks on the stretch, and information on vehicle restrictions has been shared with neighbouring districts,” she added.