Gidipabali Landslide: Rescue Operations to Continue Despite Symbolic Last Rites, Says Minister
Bhanjanagar, Nov 4: Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari has directed authorities to continue search and rescue operations at the Gidipabali landslide site, even as family members of the missing persons have begun performing symbolic last rites amid fading hopes of recovery.
The minister’s assurance came after five days of intensive rescue efforts by multiple agencies, including specialised disaster response teams, at the landslide-hit area near the Ganjam-Kandhamal region.
According to officials, rescue teams have employed advanced life-detection equipment and chain-pulling techniques in an attempt to locate individuals believed to be trapped beneath massive debris.
However, the operation has been hampered by huge boulders, unstable terrain, and thick layers of mud that have made complete excavation extremely challenging.
Expressing sympathy for the grieving families, Pujari stated that the government’s search efforts would not end despite the symbolic rituals being conducted by relatives of the missing persons.
He emphasised that authorities remain committed to accounting for all those feared buried under the landslide.
District administration officials, along with disaster response personnel, continue to clear rocky stretches using heavy machinery while maintaining search operations in difficult conditions.
The state government has reiterated its commitment to exhausting all possible measures to locate the missing individuals.
The Gidipabali landslide has triggered widespread concern across Odisha, with rescue teams working against formidable natural obstacles in one of the state’s most challenging disaster response operations in recent times.
