In a major breakthrough on the sixth day of intense rescue operations in the landslide-hit Gidipavali area following Cyclone Arnab, emergency responders recovered five bodies of a single family buried under massive boulders.
With the recovery of these five bodies, the total death toll in the Gidipavali tragedy has risen to seven. Two bodies had been retrieved earlier, while six out of the 13 listed individuals remain missing.
The bodies were formally identified in the presence of surviving family members and relatives. The victims have been identified as:
- Bhumika Pradhan (approx. 27 years)
- Bijay Pradhan (approx. 25 years)
- Bagri Pradhan (approx. 14 years)
- Aruna Pradhan (approx. 7 years)
- Bijaylaxmi Pradhan (approx. 6 years)
Respecting the wishes and emotional state of the grieving relatives, the local administration facilitated the final rites of all five victims directly at the site of the incident. District officials assured that the administration stands firmly with the affected families during this devastating period and will extend full support for their rehabilitation as per government norms.
Arrangements are currently being made based on the families’ preferences, as some expressed a desire to settle near Rayagada while others chose Kandhamal.
Addressing a press conference, District Collector Vedbhushan, IAS lauded the relentless dedication of the rescue personnel working under extreme conditions.
With weather conditions improving, the occurrence of fresh landslides has decreased, allowing operations to accelerate. Currently, a massive deployment of 200 to 250 personnel—including over 100 on-site crew members from the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), Fire Services, DVI, and SCU teams—remains active on the ground.
Specialized blasting and mining teams from the Railways, who were deployed to break apart and clear giant boulders blocking access, have returned after completing their primary mandate but remain on standby if further heavy machinery or blasting is required.
Collector Vedbhushan confirmed that rescue operations will continue aggressively in the coming days until all six missing persons are traced.
