Five bodies recovered from Odisha landslide site
Disaster response teams retrieved five members of a single family from debris at Gidipabali village in Ganjam district on Thursday.
Disaster response teams recovered five bodies from a landslide site in Gidipabali village, Ganjam district, on Thursday, November 5, 2026, according to The Hindu.
The recovery brings the total death toll to seven following six days of search and rescue operations after Cyclone Arnab. Three bodies were found in the morning and two more in the afternoon.
Kandhamal Collector Vedbhusan said the five victims belonged to one family, consisting of a couple and their three children. The victims were residents of Gidipabali.
The landslide is believed to have occurred on October 28, 2026, following heavy rains from Cyclone Arnab. While 13 people escaped with minor injuries, the Ganjam district administration was informed of the incident two days later.
Personnel from the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Odisha Fire Service, Special Operations Group (SOG), Indian Railways engineers, and local residents have been conducting the operation.
Fire Services Director General Sudhanshu Sarangi described clearing the debris as a herculean challenge. Government sources stated that the rescue operation will continue even after the recovery of the five bodies.