TNSTC driver dies when bus slides at Burliyar on Mettupalayam-Coonoor Ghat road

A TNSTC bus driver was killed when the vehicle he was driving came into the path of a landslide at Burliyar near the Coimbatore-Nilgiris district border on the night of Friday (October 23, 2026) to Saturday (October 24). There were no other passengers on the bus; the conductor, who sustained injuries, was taken to hospital.

According to the rainfall report issued by the Nilgiris district administration, Burliyar recorded 250 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 7 am on Saturday, which was categorized as extremely heavy rainfall.

More than 300 people are stranded along a section of the ghat following several landslides.

A TNSTC bus plying on the Coimbatore-Nilgiris route was hit by a landslide at Burliyar in the early hours of Saturday, with soil and debris falling on the vehicle. Photo and Video: M. Periasamy (@peri_periasamy) https://t.co/3LKRVvMAtf

— The Hindu – Chennai (@THChennai) October 24, 2026

The deceased driver has been identified as Janagaraj (55) of Katteri in Nilgiris district. He was driving a bus from Coonoor to Coimbatore when the incident occurred. The conductor, Keshavan, was rescued and admitted to the Mettupalayam Government Hospital for treatment.

A mini transporter of goods also fell into the ravine at the place of the landslide. Its driver Moushin (38) managed to get out of the vehicle and get to safety. He was admitted to Coonoor Government Hospital for treatment.

Many are stuck

More than 300 people, including 241 students and 25 teachers from two schools in Kerala, who were on a tour of Udhagamandalam, were stranded near Burliyar along the Ghat road following landslides. Rescue teams brought them to safety in Mettupalayam in the foothills of the Nilgiris, where they were accommodated in wedding halls and a school and given breakfast on Saturdays. Medical teams remained on alert.

Sheeba, a tourist from Kerala’s Kottayam district who was traveling behind the TNSTC bus, said the incident took place around 11 pm on Friday. There were two landslides in a stretch of about 1 km, she claimed. She was brought down to Mettupalayam around noon on Saturday.

The stranded passengers, including school children, were accommodated in community halls in Mettupalayam, where the Coimbatore district administration provided them with food.

Speaking to The Hindu, Coimbatore Collector Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar said that more than 300 people have been evacuated from the affected stretch. Rescue operations began around 6:00 a.m., but reaching the site was difficult as it was 7 to 10 km from the foothills and traffic congestion further hampered the movement of rescue teams.

@peri_periasamy Rescue operations underway at #landslip site in Burliyar on Saturday. Videos: @Sibisreevathson https://t.co/BhurDuflHI

— The Hindu – Chennai (@THChennai) October 24, 2026

Six teams of fire and rescue services from Coimbatore, teams of Tamil Nadu Disaster Response Force (TNDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), disaster response personnel stationed at Udhagamandalam and rescue personnel were mobilized for the operation, he said.

Ghat section closed

Backward Classes Welfare Minister V Sampath Kumar, who inspected the affected section along with Animal Husbandry Minister S Kamal, said the health condition of the conductor, who was admitted to the Mettupalayam Government Hospital, was being monitored. According to him, alternative transport will be provided to help people stranded in the Ghat stretch to reach Mettupalayam. The ghat section will remain closed until further notice.

Intermittent rain during the rescue operation hampered the movement of rescuers along the Ghat road. Several landslides were reported on the uphill section, with rocks, mud and uprooted trees falling onto the road. A TNSTC bus was badly damaged after it was hit by rocks, mud and a tree. Apart from the bus and mini goods carrier, no other vehicles were reported to be caught in the landslides and no other casualties were reported.

Travel advice

The Nilgiris district administration on Saturday advised the public and tourists to avoid the Mettupalayam-Udhagamandalam ghat roads via Coonoor and Kotagiri following heavy rains and landslides.

In a public safety notice issued on October 24, the administration warned of the risk of further landslides, falling trees, rocks and flash flooding. He urged people to follow the guidelines issued by the district administration and the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Vehicular movement on the Ghat roads, including public transport services, has been suspended from 6 pm to 6 am for the next three days, with exceptions for essential and emergency vehicles, the advisory said. The public was also advised to avoid visiting tourist destinations unless necessary and to stay away from flooded roads, overflowing streams, low-lying areas, power poles and wires during the rain.

Published – 24 Oct 2026 14:56 IST