Ooty : Vehicular traffic was totally paralysed on Coonoor-Mettupalayam highway today, following landslides at 12 locations enroute, due to heavy rains being experienced since last 24 hours.

The traffic has since been diverted through Kotagiri and the affected road closed for traffic to facilitate restoration works, particularly at Marapallam area, where trees were uprooted even as Coonoor alone received 12 CM of rains in the one hour from the dawn, official sources said.

Meanwhile the district administration has taking preventive measures to meet any eventualities due the impact of rains and declared holiday to schools in Kundah, Udhagamandalam, Kotagiri and Coonoor Taluks.

The personnel from revenue, highway and fire and rescue services were in preparedness on the locations of anticipated landslips.