Brahmapur: Rescuers searching through the debris of the landslide-ravaged Gidipabali hamlet, located along the Ganjam-Kandhamal district border in Odisha, identified a second victim on Monday after a human hand emerged during blasting operations to break massive boulders.
The victim was confirmed as 29-year-old Sanman Pradhan, one of 12 villagers who went missing when torrential downpours triggered by Cyclone Arnab unleashed a catastrophic hill collapse on October 28. Tragically, Sanman had initially escaped toward higher ground with other villagers, but returned to his house to retrieve his mobile phone and baby food for his children before being swept away by the cascading mud and sludge. His wife, Rinima, managed to trek 25 km through rugged jungle trails carrying their twin children on her shoulders to reach safety, and is currently residing at a relief shelter near G Udayagiri alongside 13 other survivors who fled the tragedy.
Retrieval efforts were temporarily suspended on Monday evening due to failing light and the complex, hazardous conditions on the ground. Officials reported that Sanman’s body remains deeply embedded beneath mud and room-sized boulders, requiring delicate and cautious handling due to advanced decomposition.
The extreme terrain has severely hampered rescue teams, as heavy machinery cannot easily navigate the slope to carry out controlled blasting. However, emergency authorities have devised a new strategic approach to break the obstructing rocks, with operations set to resume Tuesday morning.
The search and recovery mission involves a massive multi-agency deployment of roughly 160 personnel, including teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), Special Operations Group (SOG), State Fire Services, Indian Railways engineering units, and the Animal Husbandry department. Three specialised sniffer dogs — Rocky, Vicky, and Sultan — are assisting in pinpointing location spots under the sludge.
“Regarding the landslide that occurred in the Gidipabali hamlet under the Baibali panchayat near Bhanjanagar, four SOG teams, consisting of approximately 80 personnel, along with 12 units, 45 NDRF personnel, and 40 fire department personnel have been deployed to lead the restoration and search work,” Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Rajesh P Patil told media, noting that multi-agency teams are utilising advanced tracking equipment to cut through heavy debris and speed up search efforts.
Following the recovery of Sanman’s body, the confirmed death toll in Gidipabali stands at two following the earlier recovery of 52-year-old Ravi Mallik on Saturday, while ten villagers remain missing.
Statewide, Cyclone Arnab has caused widespread destruction after making landfall in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, triggering at least ten major landslide incidents across Odisha and claiming six lives.