Odisha short of equipment, may use explosives to rescue landslide victims
With no road access, officials are looking for cranes and earthmovers; they are also seeking the assistance of engineers with expertise in controlled blasting to break up boulders
Heavy rains triggered by Cyclone Arnab caused massive landslides in Odisha, resulting in the death of five people and ten others feared trapped under debris. Disaster management authorities are on high alert as Cyclonic Storm Murasu threatens to cause further landslides across the state. The India Meteorological Department predicts heavy rainfall in southern and southern coastal districts of Odisha when Cyclone Murasu approaches the Andhra Pradesh coastline.
Disaster Rapid Action Force, National Disaster Response Force, and Indian Railways technical teams have been working to rescue survivors trapped under landslide debris in Gidipabali village, but their efforts may be hampered due to the lack of road access and the need for heavy machinery. The State Government is exploring the possibility of using controlled blasting with railway engineers' assistance to break up boulders, as there is no road access to the affected area.
Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil warned that the situation could worsen as the ground is already saturated and heavy rain is forecast under the influence of Cyclone Murasu. Evacuation measures have been initiated, with district collectors directing people to evacuate from vulnerable areas.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
