Areas in Ooty, Kotagiri and Coonoor have been experiencing severe cold conditions since Friday morning due to heavy fog and rain. Due to this, major tourist attractions including the Boat House and Botanical Garden wore a deserted look.
The Nilgiris: Cyclone Mandous, which is centered around southeast of the Bay of Bengal, is expected to make landfall near Mamallapuram around midnight and will cross the coast only in the early hours of Saturday according to the Chennai Meteorological Department.
Cyclone Mandous, which is centered 270 km southeast of Chennai is likely to cause heavy rains at several places in the north of Tamil Nadu. Apart from the coastal districts, Salem, Tirupur, Coimbatore and Nilgiris districts are also likely to receive moderate to heavy rainfall for the next two days.
Nilgiris district has begun receiving rainfall even as Cyclone Mandous is making landfall in Tamil Nadu. Ooty, Kotagiri, Coonoor and other areas have been under heavy fog since Friday morning.
Motorists have been facing trouble on the roads since vehicles coming in the opposite direction are not visible, accompanied by very cold and rainy conditions. Locals who are generally used to cold conditions during December, opined that the heavy rains and fog since Friday has disrupted their normal lives.
The number of tourists visiting Ooty has come down drastically due to the heavy rains.
Major tourist spots such as the Government Botanical Garden, Rose Garden, Doddabetta and Boat House wore a deserted look.
The District administration has advised the public to stay safe over the weekend since the impact of the rain is likely to intensify on Saturday.