Paralakhemundi: As heavy rain triggered by a deep depression wreaked havoc in Odisha, 24 tourists trapped on Mahendragiri Hills in Gajapati district following landslide were safely rescued, officials said on Friday.
Information received from Gajapati said heavy downpour disrupted normal life with widespread waterlogging even as one person died and two others went missing due to landslides.
Officials said the rescue teams, using JCB machines, cleared the debris to open the road and escorted the stranded visitors down the mountain.
The operation was carried out on a war footing with the combined efforts of the Forest Department staff and police personnel. Officials confirmed that all tourists from Cuttack and Bhubaneswar were brought down safely at around 11 pm on Thursday. The rescued tourists were taken to Gherabandha police station and offered food and water.
Following Odisha Chief Minister’s instructions, Mines and Steel Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena rushed to Gajapati to oversee the situation.
Majhi also directed the special relief commissioner to provide immediate assistance required by the district administration.
An official release issued by the CMO said, “The water levels in various rivers have increased in Gajapati district, posing a risk of inundation of many areas. The CM spoke to the Gajapati district collector and inquired about the situation.”
One person died and two others went missing in landslides at six places in Gajapati due to incessant rain for the past two days. The deceased was buried under the rubble on Thursday after a landslide took place in an area under the R Udaygiri Police Station limits, Gajapati SP Jatindra Kumar Panda told PTI over the phone.
Seventy-year-old Kartika Shabara and his son Rajib Shabara went missing as a landslide struck in an area near Pekat under the Rayagarh block in the district, the SP said.
“Rescue operations are being carried out. The roads connecting Rayagarh with Nuagarh and R Udaygiri have been cut off,” he said.
State revenue department officials said that heavy rain triggered landslides in Gajapti, Rayagada and Koraput districts, while some trees fell in Ganjam.
The administration deployed disaster management teams and machinery in vulnerable districts to tackle the situation, and fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea along and off the Odisha coast till the evening of October 3, the officials said.