Landslide in Nilgiris claims life of school teacher
The victim's husband and two daughters had rushed to her aid only to get trapped in the landslide.
Deceased private school teacher Jayalakshmi
CHENNAI: A private school teacher, Jayalakshmi, was killed in a landslide that struck near the Coonoor Government Hospital in the Nilgiris during a spell of heavy rains.
According to a Daily Thanthi report, the tragedy occured when the woman went outside after hearing the rumble of the landslide only to be caught in it. Her husband, Ravi, and their daughters, Varsha and Vayu, rushed out upon hearing her scream but they too got trapped in the mud and debris.
The fire department was alerted who worked with the locals to rescue the family. While Ravi and the children were saved, Jayalakshmi died of suffocation after being trapped in the mudslide.
Her body was recovered after a challenging three-hour rescue operation, the report added.
Meanwhile, authorities have registered a case and are investigating the matter.
The hill station has been experiencing heavy rainfall, leading to trees leaning on power lines to collapse. This has caused power cuts and road blockades.