Heavy rains: Rains uproot trees in Nilgiris, block traffic

COIMBATORE: Normal life was affected as heavy rains continued to pound Nilgiris district on Friday. Several trees got uprooted in Gudalur and O’Valley.

According to highway department officials, eight trees fell and blocked roads in Kalhatti, Thangadu, O’Valley and along the Gudalur -Sulthan Bathery Road. A landslip occurred in Nilakottai, and blocked half the road. Twelve earth movers, which were stationed at Udhagamandalam, Kundah, Kotagiri and Gudalur, were pressed into service to clear the roads. 

The district received average rain of 67.50 mm from Thursday evening till Friday morning, with Avalanche recording 200 mm. Naduvattam, Upper Bhavani and Devala all recorded more than 150 mm of rainfall. Udhagamandalam received 74 millimeters of rainfall, while Gudalur and O’Valley received similar amounts of rain.

Forest minister K Ramachandran visited the relief shelters in Thorapalli where 20 families are housed, and distributed dry rations, blankets and mats to them. In Coimbatore, a flood alert was issued on the banks of Bhavani river