Search for 10 missing Odisha villagers halted due to weather risks
Authorities temporarily suspended rescue operations in Gidipabali village after three consecutive landslides buried homes in a single night.
Search operations for 10 missing residents in a remote Odisha village were temporarily suspended on Wednesday due to treacherous weather and the risk of further earthfalls, according to the Hindustan Times.
Kandhamal district collector Vedbhushan said the decision to halt the operation in Gidipabali village, located along the Kandhamal-Ganjam boundary, followed consultations with technical experts.
The collector stated that the operation is not permanently called off and will resume once weather conditions improve. He noted that blasting operations have yielded little result and that remaining bodies could be more than 30 feet below the surface.
The disaster occurred on the night of October 28 when Cyclone Arnab made landfall, triggering torrential rainfall that caused three consecutive landslides in one night. The landslides buried seven homes in the village.
The state government mobilised over 400 personnel, including members of the Special Operations Group, the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
Rescuers have recovered two bodies so far. Villagers have proposed a mass funeral and the construction of a memorial, a proposal that Ganjam and Kandhamal district officials will discuss at a meeting.