Odisha may use explosives to rescue landslide victims in Ganjam
Five people died and 10 others are feared trapped after heavy rains triggered landslides in Odisha.
Five people have died and 10 others are feared trapped under debris following landslides in Odisha, according to The Hindu. The landslides were triggered by heavy rains caused by Cyclone Arnab in Kandhamal and Ganjam districts.
In Kandhamal district, three people, including a couple and their nine-month-old, died in a landslide in Dangeshi village. In Ganjam district, two deaths were reported, and 10 people remain untraced after a landslide struck Gidipabali village on Wednesday, October 28.
Rescue teams from the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force, National Disaster Response Force, and Indian Railways have been working for nearly 50 hours at Gidipabali. Director General of Police (Fire Services) Sudhansu Sarangi said on Sunday that because there is no road access for cranes or earthmovers, authorities are exploring the use of controlled blasting by railway engineers to break up boulders.
Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil warned that the situation could worsen as the ground is saturated. He said district collectors have been directed to evacuate people from vulnerable areas.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) Bhubaneswar Director Manorama Mohanty said southern and southern coastal districts of Odisha are likely to receive heavy rainfall as Cyclonic Storm Murasu approaches the Andhra Pradesh coast. The IMD said the cyclone is likely to make landfall on November 3.