Two National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed to Ooty after relentless overnight rain triggered multiple landslides across the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu on 24 October 2026, killing a government bus driver, seriously injuring the conductor, and disrupting both road and rail connectivity to the hill station. Authorities have placed the district under a red alert and shuttered all tourist destinations until further notice.

Landslide Strikes Bus on Ooty–Mettupalayam Route

Debris from landslides at three locations along the Ooty–Mettupalayam road left a government bus trapped on the mountain route. The driver was caught under the debris and died at the scene. The conductor, who sustained serious injuries, was rescued and shifted to hospital, where he later recounted the moments the vehicle became engulfed. Parliyar recorded 25 cm of rainfall through the night, among the highest in the district, with several trees uprooted in the area compounding the blockage along the hill road.

NDRF Deployment and Rescue Operations

Teams from the NDRF's Fourth Battalion were dispatched following a formal request from Tamil Nadu disaster management authorities to support precautionary measures and active rescue operations. Crews operating earthmoving machinery intensified efforts to remove accumulated soil, rocks, and fallen trees from affected stretches. District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru personally inspected the landslide-hit Coonoor–Mettupalayam route to assess damage and review clearance progress.

Damage Across the District

In Ooty's Theettukal locality, a retaining wall collapsed during the heavy rain, damaging two cars and six two-wheelers. CCTV footage reportedly showed a security guard narrowly escaping as the structure gave way. A massive tree fell across the Kotagiri–Konavakkarai road, blocking traffic; Fire and Rescue Services personnel worked to cut and clear it. Heavy rain in the Kotagiri region also caused flooding in the Kottakambai River, with a landslide along its banks leaving a nearby residential structure at risk of collapse.

Nilgiri Mountain Railway and Tourism Hit

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway — a UNESCO World Heritage route — also saw services disrupted, further restricting access to the hill station. Collector Tanneeru urged tourists to postpone visits by at least three days and advised residents to avoid all non-essential travel. All tourist attractions in the district remain closed on official orders. This comes amid a broader pattern of intense pre-winter rainfall across Tamil Nadu's highland districts in recent years, with the Nilgiris repeatedly bearing the brunt of extreme weather events.

Clearance Work Ongoing, Risk of Further Disruption Persists

With rain continuing and access roads still partially obstructed, authorities warn that further disruption on rain-soaked mountain routes remains possible. Clearance operations are ongoing across multiple stretches, and the administration has appealed to the public not to venture into vulnerable hillside areas until conditions stabilise.