Thinking Of Weekend Trip To Ooty? Advised To Delay Plans

The district administration of Nilgiris cautioned on Friday about the forecast of very heavy rains expected from May 18-20 and urged people to refrain from visiting the hilly tourist destination during this weekend.

District Collector M Aruna said that the India Meteorological Department had issued an "orange alert," indicating the likelihood of very heavy rainfall ranging from 6 cm to 20 cm on May 18, 19, and 20.

Addressing reporters after leading a meeting with officials from Revenue, Police, and Fire and Rescue Services departments to discuss rain preparedness, Aruna stated the importance of being adequately prepared for those who choose to visit despite the warning. However, she advised, "If possible, it's best to postpone travel plans to this region during these days."

Aruna assured that all relevant departments were on high alert, with approximately 3,500 disaster response personnel and necessary equipment, including earthmovers, ready for deployment. Additionally, around 450 temporary shelters have been set up, and residents have been advised to remain indoors for their safety.

Several districts across Tamil Nadu have witnessed heavy rains in the last two days. The situation is predicted to remain till Tuesday.

Mylaudy in Kanniyakumari district recorded the highest rainfall with 7 centimetres. This was followed by Thiruchendur in Thoothukudi district, Valparai PTO in Coimbatore, and Nannilam in Thiruvarur district, each receiving 6 centimetres of rain in the last 24 hours ending at 8:30 am today, according to the Regional Meteorological Department (RMD).

Meanwhile, people who are planning to visit has to now mandatorily get epass to enter the Nilgiris.

In response to the need for regulating vehicle entry into the Nilgiris and Kodaikanal, the Madras High Court recently directed the respective district administrations to establish a mechanism for issuing e-passes to vehicles intending to visit these popular hill stations.