Daringbadi: While lowpressure-induced heavy rains continued to lash various parts of the state, Kumbharipada locality in Hatimunda panchayat under Daringbadi block of Kandhamal district has been hit by a landslide, Wednesday. Following the landslide, the district administration has been on its toes for rescue operation with a directive from Collector Ashish Ishwar Patil. About 400 villagers were evacuated to a nearby school Thursday. Initially, the villagers were provided with rations, but it was not possible for them to cook food at the place.
Then, some people had to go back to their houses. However, the district administration decided to provide cooked food to them at the school, said BDO Gadadhar Patra. The villagers had been evacuated to the school with help of the BDO, the tehsildar and members of a youth club. After the landslide, the village has been in a precarious condition. “In view of the danger to the hillside village, the administration has been making efforts to permanently relocate the villagers elsewhere.
A survey will be conducted. It will take some time,” said the BDO. It may be noted here that the hill near Kumbharipada has seen landslides twice in the month of September owing to heavy rains. In 2018 also, the area had been hit by landslide. Taking repeated occurrences of landslide in the area into account, the administration has decided to relocate the entire village somewhere else.