Breach in water channel triggers landslide in Nilgiris, traffic diverted

NILGIRIS:  Vehicular movement was affected between Kookkalthorai and Kotagiri following a landslide near Uyilatti waterfall from 7 am on Thursday.  

Sources said a channel supplying water to the agriculture fields in the locality got breached. As a result, tea and vegetable fields loosened wet and triggered the landslide. As a result, vehicles coming from Kokkalthorai were diverted to Byangi and Westbrook to reach Kotagiri. Officials deployed earth movers  and ten workers to clear the mud and rocks that rolled down the slope and fell on the road .

Nilgiris District Collector SP Amrith visited the spot. Addressing the media, he said a team of geologists from Chennai would study the area and recommend to state highway officials measures to prevent landslides in future.

State highway officials temporarily restored the road and started allowing the traffic for a few hours from Thursday 6pm. “The road was blocked again on Thursday night at 8pm for safely relocating a huge size boulder that was hanging on the hill to prevent any untoward incident. We are planning a permanent solution to restore the area caused by the landslide,” said an official.