Ponmudi hill station shut down following landslip

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Popular tourist destination Ponmudi has been shut down following heavy rains and minor landslides. The eco-tourism destination will remain shut down until further notice, said forest authorities. It is learned that the heavy rain that has been lashing the region since Thursday night triggered landslip in the 21st hairpin bend, prompting the forest authorities to shut down the hill station immediately. Huge boulders and land fell into the road blocking the way, following which we had to shut down the destination to avoid any untoward incident. A minimum of 1,000 vehicles arrive at the destination daily, with an average of 3,000 visitors. The destination is more popular during monsoon as people come here to enjoy nature and rain, said the official. Many visitors were forced to return because the authorities had to shut down the destination immediately, the official added.