Rains kill 42 in Nilgiri district, Tamil Nadu toll 68

Rains kill 42 in Nilgiri district, Tamil Nadu toll 68  Chennai, Nov 10 : As many as 28 people lost their lives since Monday night in landslides and roof and wall collapses caused by rains taking the toll in Nilgiri district alone to 42 and the Tamil Nadu toll to 68, officials said Tuesday.

Life has come to a stop in the Nilgiri district owing to the downpour during the last couple of days.

The district administration has advised tourists against travelling to the hill station of Ooty fearing fresh landslides. Many people were stranded as traffic got disrupted between the hill station and Coimbatore.

Fire service personnel from Coimbatore and Erode districts apart from the Nilgiris have been pressed into relief operations.

Two state ministers - Veerapandi S. Arumugam and Pongalur N. Palanisamy - have air dashed to the Nilgiri district to oversee the relief operations on the instructions of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.

Elsewhere in the state, 26 people lost their lives taking the toll in Tamil Nadu due to rains to 68.

According to police officials, deaths occurred in Dindigul, Thiruvarur, Chennai, Thirunelvelli, Vellore, Cuddalore and Ramanathapuram districts.

Meanwhile, the weather department has predicted more rains over here and neighbouring Puducherry. (IANS)