Cyclone Arnab aftermath / Ganjam landslide: Five more bodies of a family recovered, death toll rises to seven

Brahmapur, Nov 5: Rescue teams recovered the bodies of five members of a family from beneath debris and massive boulders in the landslide-hit Gidipabali village on Thursday, raising the death toll in the incident to seven.

The recovery came on the sixth day of the intensive search operation launched after a massive landslide struck Gidipabali village under Baibali Panchayat in Bhanjanagar block near the Ganjam-Kandhamal border around 3 a.m. on October 28, in the aftermath of Cyclone Arnab and the ensuing heavy rainfall.

Five Bodies Recovered

Officials said the recovered victims were identified as Bhumika Pradhan (27), Bijay Pradhan (25), Bagri Pradhan (14), Aruna Pradhan (7), and Bijayalakshmi Pradhan (6). Their identities were confirmed in the presence of family members.

With two bodies recovered earlier, the total number of fatalities in the Gidipabali landslide has now reached seven. Six people are still reported missing.

Village Buried Under Debris

According to officials, the hilltop village was home to about 26 people. The landslide struck after incessant rain triggered by Cyclone Arnab, burying houses under mud, uprooted trees and huge rocks. Several residents were trapped when water and debris rushed down the hillside.

Of the villagers, 13 managed to escape and later took shelter at a relief camp in Kandhamal district. An elderly woman, identified as Tarabati Pradhan, was rescued earlier.

The tragedy has pushed the overall death toll linked to Cyclone Arnab, and the subsequent floods and landslides, to eight in the state.

Massive Rescue Effort

The State government deployed personnel from the ODRAF, NDRF, Fire Services, DVI and SCU teams for the operation. More than 160 rescue personnel were initially mobilised, while around 200 to 250 personnel have been engaged at various stages of the mission.

Railway blasting and mining teams were also pressed into service to remove large rock formations obstructing the search operations.
Also Read: Odisha releases Rs107.70 crore relief for Cyclone Arnab-hit families

Rehabilitation and Search Continue

The administration facilitated the last rites of the five victims at the site, respecting the wishes of their family members. Officials said rehabilitation assistance would be extended to the affected families. Some have expressed a desire to relocate near Rayagada, while others wish to remain in Kandhamal.

With weather conditions improving and the risk of fresh landslides reducing, the administration said rescue operations would continue until the remaining six missing persons are traced.