Ganjam/Kandhamal, Nov 1: A massive landslide has virtually wiped out Gidipabali village under Bhanjanagar block in Ganjam district, burying houses, livestock and belongings under huge mounds of mud, rocks and uprooted trees. Twelve people remain missing, while rescue teams have located one body amid the debris.

The devastating landslide struck the village around 3 am on October 28 following torrential rainfall triggered by Cyclone Arnab. The scale of destruction is gradually emerging as rescue teams continue their search for survivors and missing residents.

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A specialised technical team is expected to use life detectors to identify signs of life beneath the debris. Kandhamal Collector Bedabhushan said the equipment had been requisitioned to help locate missing people and casualties.

More than 150 personnel from Ganjam and Kandhamal districts have been deployed for the rescue operation. Teams comprising the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), Fire Services and police have been searching through the mud, rocks and broken trees.

During the operation, rescuers located the body of Ravi Mallik, which villagers identified. However, it remains trapped beneath a massive boulder, making its removal extremely challenging. The search for the remaining 12 missing people is underway.

The rescue operation has been hampered by the village's difficult geographical location, unstable slopes, falling boulders and intermittent rainfall. The teams have been forced to exercise extreme caution as more mud and rocks continue to slide during debris clearance.

Village buried under 20 feet of debris

The scene at Gidipabali is devastating. The village has been almost completely buried under mud, rocks and uprooted trees. Broken bamboo structures, mud bricks, tin sheets and tarpaulins are scattered across the affected area.

In some places, mud and rocks have accumulated to a height of nearly 20 feet. Several cattle and goats are also feared dead after being buried under the debris. However, one cow was rescued alive.

The landslide has left little trace of the village that once stood there, making the rescue operation particularly difficult.

12 people missing, two women injured

According to information available till Saturday evening, 12 people from nine families, comprising a total of 26 residents, remained unaccounted for.

Two injured women, identified as Samita Mallik and Manima Pradhan, are undergoing treatment at the G. Udayagiri Community Health Centre.

The other 11 residents had been staying at a temporary shelter at Kilapanga Primary School under Katingia Panchayat in G. Udayagiri block since Friday afternoon. Their information helped the administration initiate the rescue operation.

An initial attempt on Friday evening could not make much progress. Officials later moved towards the village at night but had to turn back because of darkness and the difficult route, which involves descending nearly 1,000 feet down the hill.

Multiple teams deployed for rescue

Four Fire Services teams, four ODRAF teams, four Special Operations Group (SOG) teams and an NDRF team have been deployed from Kandhamal district for the operation.

Bhanjanagar Sub-Collector Umashankar Behera and MLA Pradyumna Kumar Nayak also visited the affected area on Saturday and reviewed the rescue efforts. They held discussions with officials to ensure that the missing residents were traced as soon as possible.

Concerns have also been raised over the shortage of advanced equipment at the site. Rescue personnel are currently relying largely on basic tools such as crowbars and spades to remove mud and debris.

Reaching Gidipabali and returning to Sipaijhu reportedly takes around two hours. The steep descent, difficult terrain and poor visibility after sunset make night-time operations extremely risky.

Keeping the safety of rescue personnel in mind, the operation was suspended on Saturday evening and is scheduled to resume on Sunday morning.

With 12 people still missing and the extent of the destruction yet to be fully assessed, anxiety continues to grip Gidipabali and neighbouring areas. The actual situation beneath the massive rocks and layers of mud will become clear only as the rescue operation progresses.