Shirur Landslide: No significant recovery in Saturday’s Gangavali River search operation

Team Udayavani, Jul 28, 2024, 10:32 AM IST

Ankola/Udupi: Despite eight attempts by the expert diver team led by Eshwar Malpe in the Gangavali River near the landslide area in Shirur, Uttara Kannada district, nothing significant was recovered on Saturday.

On Saturday, the team, along with Navy and Army officers, the Uttara Kannada Deputy Commissioner, and the Superintendent of Police, gathered complete information and received drone operation reports. With the help of local fishermen, the team initiated their operation. Based on their analysis, they sketched the area and dived into the water about eight times.

Although a team led by retired Major Indrabalan from Delhi, using advanced drones, identified metal objects in four locations underwater, the dive team could not find any clues related to these objects. However, they discovered a large banyan tree and massive wooden logs submerged in the water.

The riverbed is filled with a significant amount of soil and stones, and the increased water flow mixed with soil has turned the water reddish, creating additional challenges for the operation. The sources indicate that the search operation will continue on Sunday.

Kerala MPs and MLAs Visit Shirur Landslide Site

Ankola: A delegation of MPs and MLAs from Kerala visited the Shirur landslide area in Uttara Kannada district to oversee the ongoing search operation for the missing timber lorry and its driver, Arjun, originally from Kerala.

Kerala’s Public Works Minister Riyas Ahmad, Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran, Kozhikode MP M.K. Raghavan, Thalassery MLA Vijayan, Manjeshwar MLA Ashraf, Thrikaripur MLA M. Rajagopalan, Balusseri MLA Sachin Dev, and Thiruvambady MLA Linto Joseph visited the site, continuously receiving updates from district administration and naval officers.

“We will reassess the water conditions on Sunday morning and plan the next steps accordingly. The district administration has provided full support. During the operation, one person sustained minor injuries. We have three expert divers and other team members skilled in various operations. There are eight of us in total. We have necessary equipment like oxygen cylinders, underwater cameras, and torches. We will try our best,” said Eshwar Malpe, Expert Diver.

“The Navy and Army were part of today’s operation. Although the I-Board drone report identified debris in four spots in the river, the divers found nothing. They searched three places underwater. We will discuss with the divers and plan the next steps for the operation. We have also requested assistance from the Coast Guard helicopter for Sunday,” stated Lakshmipriya, Deputy Commissioner of Uttara Kannada.