Boulder from cliff damages bus near Coonoor during heavy rain

Passengers on board a Kerala State Road Transportation Corporation (KSRTC) bus in the early hours on Wednesday (October 15, 2025) had a narrow escape after a boulder was dislodged from the cliff face and struck the vehicle near Kurumbadi along the Udhagamandalam-Coonoor road.

The incident occurred during heavy rains in the district on Tuesday (October 14) night and Wednesday morning. According to officials, around 40 mm of rainfall was recorded in Coonoor and Coonoor rural till Wednesday morning.

In the wee hours on Wednesday, a boulder was dislodged due to the heavy rains and crashed into the front portion of the government bus carrying passengers from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu to Wayanad in Kerala, causing damage.

First responders including officials from the fire and rescue services said that the passengers were boarded onto another bus and that they reached their destinations.

Wall collapse

In a separate incident, a portion of a wall at the Coonoor railway station that was being constructed collapsed during the heavy rains. As the incident happened when the railway station was empty, no injuries were reported.

According to officials, an average of 31 mm of rain was recorded in the Nilgiris till Wednesday morning, with Kodanadu, Kotagiri, Kundah and Coonoor receiving heavy rainfall.

Officials stated that with heavy rains expected in the Nilgiris, that areas prone to landslips were being checked to ensure the safety of local residents. Fire and rescue service personnel as well as from the highways departments were also on alert to clear any blockages to the roads and any other emergencies.