Kerala floods

Kerala floods: Tourism takes a hit as visitors stay away

Damage to industry expected to last six or seven months, says credit rating agency

Vehicles damaged by a landslide (above) lining the road to Munnar, a top tourist destination due to its picturesque tea plantations and breathtaking natural beauty. A bridge (right), which locals say was built in the 1920s by the British, lies ruined
Vehicles damaged by a landslide (above) lining the road to Munnar, a top tourist destination due to its picturesque tea plantations and breathtaking natural beauty. ST PHOTOS: NIRMALA GANAPATHY
Vehicles damaged by a landslide (above) lining the road to Munnar, a top tourist destination due to its picturesque tea plantations and breathtaking natural beauty. A bridge (right), which locals say was built in the 1920s by the British, lies ruined
A bridge, which locals say was built in the 1920s by the British, lies ruined by the recent floods. ST PHOTOS: NIRMALA GANAPATHY
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Once every 12 years, thousands of people descend on the hills of Munnar to see a flower bloom.

When it does, the Neelakurinji covers the hill ranges, transforming them from green to a smoky purple-blue.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 25, 2018, with the headline Kerala floods: Tourism takes a hit as visitors stay away. Subscribe