Odisha Landslide: Five Members Of A Family Found Dead After Week-Long Search In Ganjam
The five victims, who had been missing since the landslide struck the village on October 28, were recovered in two phases.
Bhubaneswar: The bodies of five members of a family, including a couple and their three children, were recovered from beneath the debris at landslide-hit Gidipabali village in Odisha’s Ganjam district on Thursday, bringing the death toll in the disaster to seven after a week-long search.
The five victims, who had been missing since the landslide struck the village on October 28, were recovered in two phases. Three bodies were retrieved in the morning and the remaining two in the afternoon. The victims were subsequently identified by their relatives, and their last rites were performed amid grief and mourning.
The recovery has brought an end to the search for the five members of the family, but rescue operations are continuing at the affected village as authorities look for other persons who may still be missing.
Odisha steel and mines minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena, who is in charge of Ganjam district, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of five members of the same family and said the administration was extending all possible assistance to the affected people.
“The recovery of five members of the same family is extremely tragic. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family and the people of Gidipabali. The district administration, along with the rescue agencies, is continuing its efforts to locate anyone who may still be missing. We will ensure that the affected families receive all necessary assistance and that the rescue operation is carried out with utmost care,” Jena said.
The landslide occurred on the night of October 28 at Gangubali hill along the Kandhamal-Ganjam border, severely damaging Gidipabali village under Bhanjanagar. At least nine houses were completely destroyed in the disaster, triggered by heavy rainfall following Cyclone Arnab.
The five deceased were identified as Aruna Pradhan, around 70, Bhumika Pradhan, around 27, Bijay Pradhan, around 25, Bijaylakshmi Pradhan, six, and Bagri Pradhan, one. All were residents of Gidipabali and figured in the village’s missing persons list.
Kandhamal Collector Vedbhusan said the victims had been identified by their relatives, while their exact ages would be verified by the Ganjam district administration.
A joint team of around 170 personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and Fire Services has been engaged in the search and rescue operation.
Personnel from the ODRAF, Fire Services, District Volunteer Force (DVF) and Special Operations Group (SOG) were also deployed at the site.
The operation was temporarily suspended on Wednesday due to rainfall but resumed subsequently. Officials said the teams would remain at Gidipabali and continue searching the affected area over the coming days.
“We recovered five bodies during today’s rescue operation at Gidipabali village. All five deceased belonged to the same family and have been identified by their relatives,” Kandhamal Collector Vedbhusan said.
“We will resume the rescue operation tomorrow. The affected families are hopeful that the operation will reach its conclusion in the coming days,” he added.
With the recovery of the five bodies, the number of confirmed deaths in the Gidipabali landslide has risen to seven. The continuing search operation is aimed at ensuring that no one remains trapped beneath the debris.
