Ten people remain missing after Odisha landslide in Ganjam district
Rescue teams are searching for survivors in Gidipabali village after homes were buried under debris following a landslide on October 28.
Ten residents of Gidipabali village in Odisha’s Ganjam district remain missing after a landslide buried their homes, according to The Hindu.
The landslide occurred on October 28, 2026, though the Ganjam district administration was informed of the incident on October 30. Of the 25 residents in the village, 13 escaped, while 12 were buried under debris. The bodies of two victims have been located so far.
Over 100 disaster response personnel are working to locate survivors. The operation includes 34 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel with two sniffer dogs, Rocky and Vicky, and 35 State Fire Services personnel with a sniffer dog named Sultan.
The Special Operations Group (SoG) has deployed 42 personnel for security, while 15 members of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) are engaged in the rescue. Local workers are also assisting in clearing debris.
The village, located in the Bhanjanagar block, has no road connectivity. A senior government officer said rescue teams had to navigate nearly 3 km of muddy terrain to reach the site. Officials are looking for cranes and earthmovers and may seek engineers for controlled blasting to break boulders.
The State government said that search and rescue operations continue at the site through coordinated efforts from various departments and the use of advanced search equipment.