BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government has launched a massive search operation to trace 12 people who went missing after a landslide struck Gidipabali village under Bhanjanagar block in Ganjam district in the early hours of Friday.
Addressing mediapersons, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Rajesh Prabhakar Patil said the village is located on a hill and was inhabited by around 26 people. Around 13 people went missing following the landslide. An elderly woman, identified as Tarabati Pradhan, has been traced, while 12 others remain missing, he added.
Around 160 to 170 personnel from the Fire Services, Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been mobilised to intensify the search operation, which is still underway.
Meanwhile, the Odisha government has requested the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to deploy a helicopter to transport equipment needed for the rescue operation at another landslide site in G Udayagiri in Kandhamal district.
Earlier, three members of a family, including a seven-month-old infant, were killed after a massive landslide swept away their house in Dangeshi village under Raikia block of Kandhamal district in the early hours of Thursday. The deceased were identified as Achyutananda Pradhan (35), his wife Manasi Pradhan (28) and their infant. Their bodies were recovered from beneath the mud and debris nearly 200 metres from their house on Friday. Nearly 15 houses were also washed away in the landslide. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced an ex gratia assistance of Rs 4 lakh for each of the three deceased.