MADIKERI: Heavy rainfall has triggered a massive landslide at Bramhagiri Hills in Talacauvery which washed off two houses while five people – including the chief priest of Talacauvery Temple – are missing and are feared to be dead.
The NDRF team has reached the spot and is carrying out a search operation for the missing persons.
The landslide from the Bramhagiri Hills is feared to have taken place during midnight. Other temple staff who are residing at Talacauvery confirmed to The New Indian Express that they had spoken to the temple chief priest Narayana Achar on Wednesday evening and they confirmed that there were four others – the priest’s wife, his brother and two assistants who were residing inside the house.
When the chief priest did not visit the temple on Thursday morning, the other temple staff who inquired only found debris of massive landslide in place of the priest's house.
Sources confirmed that the puja materials that were washed off in the landslide were found near Cherangala village.
It is said that the temple priest had been sent a notice to shift out of the house by the Bhagamandala PDO.
However, the priest and the family are said to have chosen to stay back. Another priest who was residing in the same area had shifted out of the house earlier to a safer place in Bhagamandala.