Tamil Nadu - Udhagamandalam   

Scale of damage in Nilgiris district huge, relief work apace

Udhagamandalam: Many parts of the Nilgiris continued to remain cut off on Wednesday due to landslips, although the rain has subsided and people have begun venturing out for essential items and supplies. Southern Railway has suspended train services on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway.

Road, railway and communication infrastructure has suffered massive damage across the district. The Mettupalayam-Coonoor-Udhagamandalam road and the Mettupalayam-Kotagiri-Ooty road have been ravaged. Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology A. Raja, who is the Member of Parliament from the Nilgiris constituency, said the Army’s help would be sought if required.

Ministers and district-level officials deputed to oversee relief struggled to cope with the enormity of the disaster even as the affected persons were moved to hurriedly set up relief centres. Because many places remained inaccessible, a final death toll or assessment of damage is yet to be arrived at. Schools would reopen on Monday, according to the district administration.

Agriculture Minister Veerapandi S. Arumugham said at Coonoor that about 360 houses were either fully or partially damaged.

Officials had been asked to evolve ways to help those affected. Standing crops on about 500 hectares had been hit. Relief would be provided to the affected farmers. A report would be submitted to the Chief Minister in two days, he said. The Mettupalayam-Coonoor -Udhagamandalam train services remain suspended following a major breach at two places. In more than 40 instances of landslips, trees or boulders have fallen on the tracks at over 15 locations.

The Railways has in place a team of over 200 engineering employees to restore the tracks. “The main challenge… is that there is no approach road or way to the track-site at many locations. The extent of damage to the tracks is yet to be assessed since some locations are almost inaccessible,” a release from the Railway PRO, Salem, said. Members of a divisional engineering team went by foot to assess the damage.

Mr. Arumugham, Mr. Raja, Rural Industries Minister Pongalur Palanisamy and Khadi Board Minister K. Ramachandran called on the families of victims, offered their condolences and handed over cheques for Rs. 1 lakh each. They visited relief centres and distributed essential items. Mr. Raja said the scarcity of petrol and diesel would be tackled.

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