More than 250 tribal families have been evacuated from their homes after water level in a river rose dangerously after intense showers in Gudalur and Pandalur regions on Monday night and Tuesday morning.
Revenue department officials said that the Kalampuzha stream had threatened to flood the surrounding tribal hamlets of Puramanavayal, Thenvayal, Iruvayal and Moolampalli.
Flood water surrounding the Thenvail tribal colony in Gudalur in the Niligiris. Photo: M. Sathyamoorthy
Gudalur RDO, P. Rajkumar, said the revenue department as well as other rescue teams worked immediately to evacuate the families from the four villages and moved them to safer places. “More than 250 families are to be housed in a few schools in the surrounding areas, and we will provide them with all necessary food, clothes and nourishment,” said Mr. Rajkumar.
The Nilgiris district has recorded an average rainfall of 62.64 mm till Tuesday morning. Gudalur and Upper Gudalur are among the areas which have seen the highest rainfall, with 201 and 192 mm of rain being recorded. Other areas in the Nilgiris too have witnessed intense showers, including Udhagamandalam town. Upper Bhavani received a massive 308 mm of rain in a 24-hour-period.
The rains come almost exactly a year after intense showers in the district led to landslips, huge damage to public and private property as well as loss of life in the district.
