Tamil Nadu Rains: 14 Dead as Landslides Trigger Hill-Station Restrictions

Fourteen people have reportedly died in lightning strikes since the onset of the Northeast monsoon in Tamil Nadu, as persistent heavy rainfall triggered landslides, flooded residential areas, damaged infrastructure and submerged thousands of acres of crops. The worsening weather has prompted authorities to restrict tourist entry to major hill stations, including the Nilgiris, Kodaikanal and Yercaud, while emergency and restoration operations continue across affected districts.

Revenue Minister K A Sengottaiyan said the families of lightning victims had received Rs 4 lakh each in compensation. He rejected reports claiming 35 rain-related deaths in a single day, stating that District Collectors were investigating other reported fatalities.

The Nilgiris recorded 62 landslides and landslips in the 24 hours ending at 7 am on October 25. A landslide near Burliyar killed a state transport bus driver and fractured the conductor's leg. The driver's family was sanctioned Rs 4 lakh. By October 26, seven additional landslips and 15 uprooted trees had been reported in the district. Highway officials and geotechnical experts were assessing damage near Burliyar, where traffic between the Nilgiris and Coimbatore remained diverted via Kotagiri.

Heavy rain disrupted transport, damaged electrical infrastructure and flooded wards at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital. A government bus was stranded in the inundated Lanka Corner subway. Waterlogging in Coimbatore and Tiruppur was reportedly cleared by 4 am, while preliminary assessments indicated 3,500 acres of crops submerged in Nagapattinam district.

In Kodaikanal's Moonjikkal–Dobikana area, more than 20 houses were flooded, disrupting livelihoods and forcing families to protect belongings and livestock overnight. Residents demanded retaining walls along a water channel and raised concerns about cracks in a 30-year-old bridge serving 600–700 families, warning that its collapse could cut off ambulance access.

Tamil Nadu's TN-SMART data recorded 145 mm of rainfall at Kothavacherry, 130 mm at Madukkarai, 119 mm at Thangachimadam and 109 mm at Kodaikanal on October 26. The India Meteorological Department forecast very heavy rain and thunderstorms with lightning that day, followed by heavy rain on October 27. Dindigul district also issued a red alert for October 25 and 26, warning of possible landslides in Kodaikanal's hilly areas.

Authorities barred tourists from the Nilgiris, Kodaikanal and Yercaud until conditions improve. Local residents were permitted to travel between 6 am and 6 pm with District Collector-issued passes. Four relief camps had been established in the Nilgiris, with 65 people moved to safety.

Meanwhile, the Vaigai Dam in Theni district reached 50 feet against its 71-foot full level after nine months. Officials continue monitoring the situation as the monsoon threatens transport, homes, agriculture and public safety.