Udhagamandalam: Normal life was affected as incessant rain lashed most parts of the Nilgiris for the sixth day on Tuesday. A thick blanket of mist, meanwhile, has enveloped the hills.
Hulical in Coonoor taluk registered the maximum of 35mm rainfall for the 24 hours that ended at 7am on Tuesday, followed by Kodanadu (32.5mm), Kotagiri (24.2mm), Avalanche (21mm), Coonoor (20mm) and Ooty (20mm). Gudalur and Pandalur taluks did not record much rain.
According to revenue officials, the hill district has not reported much damage, except for fallen trees and partial damage to a few huts. The rain has loosened the soil, which is being washed away into the streams.
People, whose houses were damaged, were shifted to the nearby relief camps. Trees that were uprooted were removed from the roads at the earliest, facilitating vehicular movement.
District collector J Innocent Divya said, “Yedappalli and Hulical areas in Coonoor taluk have received more rain. We have identified vulnerable areas in the district and they are under vigil. People who feel unsafe in their area or house because of the continuous rain can take a shelter in the nearby relief camps.”
The rain has hit the agriculture and tea plantation work hard. Murugan, a farmer in Ooty, said, “We are not able to harvest crops such as carrots and potatoes because of the continuous rain. They might get spoiled if the rain persists.”
Construction work has also been disrupted. “The rain started last Thursday. It has been six days since I went to work. My earnings have been hit,” said Kumar, a construction worker.
With thick mist covering the hills, motorists found it difficult to navigate through the ghat roads.