A landslide in Karnataka’s Shirur village in Uttara Kannada district has killed at least seven people, including children. The bodies have been recovered, of which one body is yet to be identified. According to reports, at least 15 people are feared trapped under the debris and incessant rain has hampered the rescue operations, which began on July 16 when the incident happened near the national highway.
The mud from the landslide has seeped into the adjacent Gangavali river, which is linked to the Arabian Sea. Four of the five bodies were recovered from the sea. Two gas tankers have overturned into the river raising suspicions of a possible leakage.
A tea shop and an adjacent house located close to the Gangavali River collapsed, burying and washing away those who had gathered to drink beverages and also the entire family of the tea shop owner.
The bodies of the tea shop owner Laxman Naik, his wife Shanthi Naik, their son Roshan, their daughter Avantika, two truck drivers, and one unidentified man have been retrieved so far. The truck drivers were identified as Murugan and Chinna, who hail from Tamil Nadu.
The police have reportedly traced the GPS location of a Benz car that has been stuck under the debris. Due to the accumulation of sand, an island has been formed in the Gangavali River, and many people are suspected to be trapped there.
A week of incessant rainfall in the area triggered the landslide on July 16. The fire department, emergency services, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel are engaged in the search operation.
Deputy commissioner Lakshmi Priya has asked the district administration to evacuate the residents in the vicinity and provide shelter and food in relief centres. District in-charge Mankal Vaidya has directed forest department and police to take action against IRB Infrastructure and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials, holding them responsible for the landslide.
(With inputs from IANS)