Tamil Nadu: Heavy rain floods tribal hamlets in Nilgiris; 18 families shifted to camp

UDHAGAMANDALAM: Tribal villages in Thorapalli were flooded on Monday after Gudalur and Pandalur taluks in the district received incessant rainfall on Sunday.
Pandalur received the highest rainfall of 160mm for 24 hours ending 8am on Monday, while Padanthorai in Gudalur taluk registered 109mm. Devala and Cherangode registered 47mm and 52mm of rainfall respectively.
Gudalur block development officer Sridharan, "Owing to the heavy and continuous rain on Sunday in various places in Gudalur and Pandalur taluks, many rivers are flowing to the brim." He added, "Iruvayal hamlet was flooded on Monday. Hence, 18 families from the village were shifted to a relief camp in Thorapalli. They are provided with food and warm clothing". A bridge in Thorapalli submerged in the flood, obstructing traffic.
As the Velari river in Padanthorai was in spate, people living in low-lying areas were alerted and a few families were shifted to nearby relief camps as a precautionary measure, the official said.
Avalanche and Upper Bhavani received 30mm and 24mm of rainfall respectively. Ooty, Coonoor, Kotagiri and Kundha taluks didn't record much rain.
Meanwhile, services of the mountain train on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) between Ooty and Coonoor were cancelled on Monday due to a tree fall on the railway track between Ketti and Lovedale railway stations.
A tree had fallen across the railway line between Ketti-Lovedale railway stations obstructing the movement of trains. Works to remove the fallen tree and clear the track are in progress.