Landslides disrupt vehicle movement on Pachamalai ghat road

Heavy rain and landslides disrupted vehicular movement on the Pachamalai ghat road in the district on Sunday. Many parts of Tiruchi, Karur, Perambalur, and Ariyalur districts recorded heavy rain.
Thenpuranadu, Vathalai, Sirugudi, Samayapuram, Musiri, and Tiruchi junction were among the places where heavy rain was recorded in the last 24 hours ending 8.30 a.m on Sunday.
While Thenpuranadu recorded 120 mm rainfall, Koppampatti received 70 mm rainfall. Kallakudi, Devimangalam and Sirugudi recorded 42.4 mm, 53 mm and 67 mm respectively. Tiruchi junction recorded 43.6 mm rainfall. Jayankondam and Siddhamalli in Ariyalur district, Kulithalai and Krishnarayapuram in Karur district also received heavy rainfall. According to sources, many jungle streams along Pachamalai, low mountain ranges of Eastern Ghat, have been flooded. Due to the heavy rain that lashed several parts of Pachamalai for the last few days and the neighbouring Kolli hills in Namakkal districts, Mangalam falls and Koraiyar falls have been flooded, thereby forcing the Forest Department to close them temporarily for tourists.
Collector Pratik Tayal said the boulders, mud, and debris had been cleared. The ghat road had been damaged at some points.
Though the road was motorable, movement of heavy vehicles and four-wheelers had been temporarily barred on the Top Sengattupatti section. However, two-wheelers were allowed.
Since Pachamalai and neighbouring areas continued to get very heavy rainfall, he said that the officials had been asked to be on alert and the situation was being closely watched.