Cyclone Arnab Aftermath / Operation Jeevan continues as rescuers search beneath Ganjam landslide debris

Brahmapur, Nov 3: A massive rescue effort, christened ‘Operation Jeevan’, is continuing in Gidhipabali area in Odisha’s Ganjam district, where officials are battling difficult terrain and giant boulders in a desperate search for survivors trapped beneath landslide debris.

The operation, now on its fourth day, was launched following the devastating landslide triggered on the night of October 28, when huge rocks and mounds of earth crashed down from a hill, burying homes and altering lives in a matter of moments.

Houses Buried

According to officials, nine houses were completely buried under the debris. Of the 25 residents living in the affected hamlet, 13 managed to escape. However, several people remain unaccounted for, prompting an intensive search operation involving multiple government agencies.

Rescue teams have encountered significant challenges due to the size of the boulders scattered across the site. Authorities said even chain-pulling techniques commonly used by the Railways failed to move some of the massive rocks.

As a result, controlled blasting using dynamite is being carried out with the assistance of the Mining Department to break the boulders and clear access to the affected areas.

Technology in Rescue

The absence of motorable roads has complicated operations, making it impossible to deploy tractors or other heavy machinery. Despite these constraints, rescue personnel are using advanced robotic scanning equipment and technical support from the Mining Department to detect signs of human presence beneath layers of soil and rock.

Officials said every possible effort is being made to trace the missing persons and complete the rescue mission at the earliest.

Support for Survivors

Alongside the rescue operation, the administration has stepped up relief measures for displaced families sheltering at a temporary relief centre set up at Kilapanga School under Katingia Gram Panchayat.

Senior district officials, including the Collector, Sub-Collector and Superintendent of Police, have been visiting the shelter camp, interacting with survivors and assessing their needs. Relief materials, food and other essentials are being provided to affected families, including children who lost family members in the tragedy.

Officials are also preparing plans to provide financial assistance and livelihood support to families devastated by the disaster.

As rescue teams continue their painstaking search beneath the debris, authorities have reiterated that Operation Jeevan will continue until every missing person is accounted for, reflecting both the scale of the tragedy and the determination of the administration.