By Braja Bihari Nanda

Phulbani: Torrential rainfall triggered by Cyclone Arnab wreaked havoc across Ganjam, Kandhamal and Gajapati districts for two consecutive days, October 27 and 28. The unprecedented rainfall washed away roads and bridges, uprooted hundreds of trees and severely disrupted transportation. Massive landslides from nearby hills buried villages, causing widespread destruction and loss of life.

Gidipabali, a hamlet under Baibali Gram Panchayat of Bhanjanagar block in Ganjam district, bordering Kandhamal district, was completely wiped out by a massive landslide.

Of the 26 residents of the village, 11 somehow managed to escape and reach the Kalipanga Sevasram shelter in G. Udayagiri block. Two others were rescued by the G. Udayagiri administration and admitted to hospital.

The 13 survivors are currently under the care of the Kandhamal district administration. The horrifying memories of that fateful night continue to haunt them. There was complete darkness everywhere, accompanied by torrential rain and dense fog.

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Suddenly, huge rocks and massive chunks of earth came crashing down from the hillside. Within moments, houses were buried under the debris. Before anyone could understand what was happening or figure out whom to search for or rescue, cries of distress filled the surroundings. While some fled into the forest to save their lives after witnessing their family members being buried before their eyes, others wandered helplessly in search of their loved ones.

The women taking shelter at the Kalipanga relief centre under Katingia Gram Panchayat in Kandhamal district recounted their terrifying experiences of that night. Immediately after the landslide struck, people rushed out of their houses to save their lives. However, amid the panic and confusion, several family members became separated from one another. Some women lost track of their husbands, others of their children, while many were unable to locate other family members.

Darkness, heavy rainfall, and dense fog made it almost impossible to find one's way through the forest. Nevertheless, they desperately ran in different directions through the dark forest, trying both to save themselves and locate their loved ones.

Recounting the horrifying incident, survivor Rinima Mallik said that when the landslide occurred, her husband had helped everyone leave the house and move to a safer place. After walking some distance, he returned home to retrieve his mobile phone. Unfortunately, at that very moment, a huge boulder came crashing down onto their house right before her eyes. Her husband was trapped inside under the massive rocks and debris.

Witnessing her husband being buried alive shattered her completely. On one hand, she was devastated by the loss of her husband; on the other, she had to worry about saving her own life and protecting their twin sons.

Crying inconsolably, she took her two children and ventured into the dense forest in search of a safe place. Surrounded by darkness, heavy rain and thick fog, she could not even figure out which direction to take.

After the landslide, the survivors became disoriented while desperately searching for a way through the forest. The heavy rain and dense fog made it impossible to see the path. They repeatedly shouted out, hoping to locate other family members, but nobody responded.

After struggling for survival in the forest for two days without food, they somehow managed to reach the Kalipanga shelter at around 2 pm on Friday. Having gone without food for two days, they were extremely weak. Upon reaching the shelter, they narrated the entire incident to the people present there.

The operation was subsequently launched with the objective of reaching Gidipabali village, assessing the actual extent of the landslide and searching for the missing people.

Finally, more than 150 rescuers, government personnel and teams from various departments reached the spot and began the operation.

The carcasses of several domestic animals, including cows and goats, were also found at the site, indicating the devastating intensity of the landslide.

While removing the mud and rocks, rescuers spotted the body of a person trapped beneath a massive boulder. The team made efforts to retrieve the body, but the task proved extremely difficult. Whenever the rescuers removed some soil, more rocks and mud continued to slide down, hampering the operation.

On one side, the women who have lost their husbands, children and other family members are spending their days at the shelter amid grief, trauma and uncertainty. On the other, the families of those still missing are anxiously awaiting the outcome of the rescue operation, hoping for news of their loved ones.