SHIRUR (UTTARA KANNADA): The NDRF team, involved in the rescue operation at the landslide site near Ankola on Karwar-Kumta Road (NH 66), has managed to prevent a major mishap by tying the fuel tanker that had fallen into Gangavali river to the banks. An entire hillock slid on the highway near Belase village at Shirur around 8 am on Tuesday following heavy rain. Eyewitnesses said the landslide swept away a hotel, several vehicles, including a fuel tanker, and a part of the highway.
The fuel tanker was floating and tossing around in the river. Authorities had feared that it could hit Manjugini bridge downstream or a rock and explode, leading to a major mishap. As a precautionary measure, the district administration had shifted villagers to a rescue centre.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel on Wednesday managed to tie the tanker to a stationary object on the riverbank.
Local residents said three tankers were parked at the spot when the landslide occurred. While one went into the river, the other two are under the debris. Apart from these, a couple of trucks and a car too are under the mud, they said. But there is no official confirmation on this.
A truck from Joida, said to be carrying timber to Kerala, is also buried, and the driver, Arjun, is missing. His brother Abhijeet said Arjun would always stop at the tea shop run by Lakshman Naik, whose entire family has been wiped out. When Arjun reached the hotel, it was around 4 am, and he was resting when the landslide struck. Abhijeet has appealed to the authorities to trace Arjun. He said the GPS device on the truck pointed to the landslide-hit area. But there is no official confirmation yet.
3 bodies of family found
Of the five persons of a family, who ran a popular tea joint near the landslide site and were buried under the debris, the bodies of three were found and handed over to their relatives. The bodies of Lakshman Naik, the hotel owner, his wife Shanti Naik and their son Roshan Naik were cremated by a relative.
The state government announced Rs 5 lakh as compensation to each of the deceased. As all family members have died in the landslide, the question was who will claim the compensation. Uttara Kannada DC Lakshmi Priya said it has already been awarded to Naik’s relative. “The Minister gave the compensation cheque,” she said.
Traffic diversion may be extended
Traffic diversion may continue for more than three days as the restoration work on the National Highway 66 is delayed. Vehicles have to turn to NH 63 and reach Kumta via State Highway 143 via Hillur, Hoskambi, Mastikatte and reach Kumta via Madangere. This will add 20 km to the distance, which was 60 km earlier.