Karnataka: Landslide Site Cleared; NHAI Report Pending for Road Reopen
By : Gururaj A Paniyadi
Update: 2024-07-26 16:12 GMT
Karwar: While debris and soil have been cleared from the landslide site at Shiruru in Ankola Taluk, the district administration is awaiting a compliance report from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) before reopening the road to traffic.
"The Geological Survey of India (GSI) team visited the site and provided a preliminary report outlining urgent measures to be taken. As District Magistrate, I instructed the NHAI officials to implement these measures and submit a report. Once we receive the compliance report from the NHAI, we will allow traffic on the stretch," Uttara Kannada Deputy Commissioner Lakshmi Priya K told reporters on Friday.
In the meantime, a Navy team visited the site to assess the current speed of the river where a missing truck is believed to be stuck under a huge heap of soil. The search operation for the truck and driver requires divers.
"The operation must be undertaken by divers. The Navy is monitoring the river's current speed regularly, and the latest measurement in the afternoon showed speeds over 6 knots, making diving impossible. We are waiting for the current to stabilize," the Deputy Commissioner explained.
Efforts are also underway to anchor a platform near the spot to facilitate the diving operation.
While 11 people are believed to be missing in the landslide on July 11, 8 bodies have been found. Three more including a truck and its driver Arjun from Kerala are missing.