Cyclone Impact / Landslide nearly wipes out village in Ganjam's Bhanjanagar, 10 rescued

Bhanjanagar, Oct 31: A landslide has almost wiped out Gidipabali village under Baibali panchayat in the remote areas of Ganjam district's Bhanjanagar block, a source said on Saturday.

According to the source, the administration had earlier relocated the villagers to a safer place amid the threat of flooding. As the rain eased, the villagers had returned to their homes to collect essential belongings. However, in the meantime, water released from the Daha Dam suddenly surged into the area, triggering a landslide that swept the villagers towards the Tadama canal, where they became stranded.

The disaster had initially left around 12 villagers missing. On being informed, the Fire Services personnel reached the landslide-affected area from the Kandhamal side, as there was no road access to Gidipabali from Bhanjanagar. While heading towards the village, the team spotted 10 people stranded in the Tadama canal under Bhanjanagar police station limits and immediately launched a rescue operation.


Subsequently, Fire Services personnel rescued 10 people near Tadama, the source informed.

Afterwards, the Fire Services team shifted them to a safe location, the source added.

Also Read: Schools in Odisha's Ganjam district to remain closed till November 2 amid flood situation

The village, which once had around 12 to 15 houses, now lies buried under mud and debris. The lone surviving structure, built with mud bricks, stands in a dilapidated condition, bearing witness to the scale of the landslide.