PHULBANI/BERHAMPUR: Three members of a family including a seven-month-old infant were reportedly killed after a massive landslide swept away their house in Raikia block of Kandhamal district in the wee hours of Thursday. Nearly 15 houses were also washed away in the landslip which took place at Dangeshi village under Manikeswar panchayat.
The deceased were identified as Achyutananda Pradhan (35), his wife Manasi Pradhan (28) and their seven-month-old baby. Their bodies were recovered from beneath a mound of mud and debris nearly 200 metre away from their house on Friday.
According to villagers, the incident came to light on Thursday morning when they found that the family’s house had been completely swept away. A search was immediately launched for the missing family members. However, torrential water currents and continuous landslides from the hillside severely hampered rescue efforts.
With considerable difficulty, villagers climbed the nearby hill in the evening and reached Sikabadi to alert the local administration. Official rescue operations were subsequently initiated and bodies of the deceased recovered.
The tragedy plunged Dangeshi and neighbouring villages into mourning, while the reported destruction of several houses has added to the distress of the affected residents.
On the day, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced an ex gratia assistance of `4 lakh for each of the three deceased.
Meanwhile, a 36-year-old man, identified as Panda Nayak, died in a flood-related incident in Ganjam district following torrential rain triggered by cyclone Arnab. Nayak reportedly drowned after falling into a flooded drain near Baradi village under Sorada police limits on Thursday. According to reports, Nayak had gone to watch the swollen floodwater when he accidentally slipped and fell into the drain. He was swept away by the strong current before getting caught in the swaying branches of a nearby tree.
On being alerted, fire services personnel rushed to the spot and rescued him. He was immediately taken to Sorada community health centre where doctors declared him dead.
In a separate incident, 50-year-old Bijay Nayak of Chaitanyaprasad village under Digapahandi block reportedly died after returning home from a cyclone shelter on Thursday. Family members said Bijay was shifted to the local cyclone shelter for two days amid the adverse weather conditions. He returned home on Thursday but fell ill. He reportedly died before medical assistance could reach him.
Though the deaths have not yet been officially confirmed as cyclone or flood-related, Ganjam collector Keerthi Vasan said the incidents would be verified.