SHIRUR: As the Army and Navy intensified their search operations at Shirur in Uttara Kannada district which was hit by a landslide, the body of 67-year-old Sanni Hanumantha Gouda was recovered after eight days.
While the operations continued on Tuesday amid heavy rainfall across the district, more equipment are being brought in to aid the rescue mission.
The efforts began early in the morning, and Sanni's body was retrieved from 15 km downstream in the Gangavalli river, at Gangakolla—a location previously identified as where the body of a four-year-old girl, Avanthika, had been found.
Sanni, who was alone at home on the opposite bank of Gangavalli river on the ill-fated day, was washed away in the river after the hillock caved in into the river. Her son Manjunath Hanumantha Gouda had appealed to Minister Mankal Vaidya and BJP state party president B Y Vijayendra to help in tracing his missing mother, during their visit to Ulluvare village.
However, there was not much success until on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Army is using metal detecting radar and other techniques to trace a missing truck and other vehicles in the river. A team from ISRO arrived on Tuesday to help in tracing the missing bodies using latest technology.
Since Monday, 16 Indian Navy divers have joined the search efforts in the Gangavalli river.
To further enhance the operations, the district administration is preparing to bring in a dredging machine from Saundatti, expected to arrive on Wednesday.
“Right now, it is in Saundatti. It will be coming tomorrow,” said Narayan, Superintendent of Police, Uttara Kannada.
He said the operations would be suspended by Tuesday evening due to heavy rainfall and darkness but would resume early Wednesday.
So far, eight bodies have been recovered. According to the district administration, two more bodies remain missing.