Ankola, KARNATAKA : Search and rescue operations for victims of massive landslide on national highway in Karnataka’s Ankola, was called off after heavy rain and gusty winds hampered efforts and made the region vulnerable to further landslides. The rescue had shifted to Gangavalli river after earth excavated from the highway and adjoining strip failed to yield survivors.
Deep search metal detectors, rafts with overboard motors, ground penetration radar and a ferrex locator 150 kicked the rescue efforts into high gear. However though 9th day into the search, Arjun, the Kozhikode native and his heavy duty truck laden with logs, had eluded searchers despite methodical excavation at spot indicated by sonar signal as the truck location.
River rurrent has intensified making it hard for divers to descend in the waters. There are at least 10 others missing apart from Arjun as a team of 29 NDRF members, 42 SDRF members, 12 deep divers from Indian Navy got engaged in the operations. The area is clamped with Orange Alert(heavy rains) for now.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka govt confirmed the truck found on the river’s embankment is indeed that of Arjun. More personnel and cranes were pressed in to haul the truck up from the slush. According to latest reports, the NDRF that went back from the site is back once again.
