Story perspectives

Landslide kills TNSTC driver, traps conductor in Nilgiris

By Drooid · Oct 25, 2026, 10:34 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

TNSTC driver dies

TNSTC driver Janagaraj died when a landslide buried his bus in the Nilgiris on Oct 23-24, 2026.
Conductor Kesavan was rescued after eight hours trapped, then taken to Mettupalayam Government Hospital.
More than 150 Kerala students were rescued after their bus stalled near Burliar, then sheltered.
Tamil Nadu Disaster Response Force began rescue at 5 am after the India Meteorological Department warned heavy rain.

Summary

Collector Orders Closures

Nilgiris district collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru ordered all tourist spots closed until further notice.
Traffic on the Coonoor–Mettupalayam ghat stretch halted from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m., except emergency vehicles.
Nilgiri Mountain Railway services cancelled, stopping commuter and tourist travel.
Four houses in Kottakkambai and two in Chikkadasampalayam received INR6,500 each, totalling INR13,000 in relief.
Schools in six taluks remained closed, with some Coonoor schools used as temporary shelters.

History

Historical Context

The June 2013 cloudburst in Uttarakhand unleashed floods and landslides that killed more than 5,700 people, stranded over 110,000 pilgrims and tourists, and prompted massive army and Air Force rescues. Repeated Himalayan emergencies—including the 2025 Uttarkashi flash flood and the 2026 Nilgiris landslide—have highlighted chronic gaps in early-warning and evacuation infrastructure across the Western Ghats.

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TNSTC driver dies

TNSTC driver Janagaraj died when a landslide buried his bus in the Nilgiris on Oct 23-24, 2026.
Conductor Kesavan was rescued after eight hours trapped, then taken to Mettupalayam Government Hospital.
More than 150 Kerala students were rescued after their bus stalled near Burliar, then sheltered.
Tamil Nadu Disaster Response Force began rescue at 5 am after the India Meteorological Department warned heavy rain.

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