Incessant heavy rainfall triggered a major landslide in the strategically important Kalinga Ghat along the Ganjam-Kandhamala border, washing away a section of an under-construction road and causing a newly built guard wall to collapse.
In response to the growing hazard, the Kandhamala district administration has sealed the ghat road for an indefinite period to ensure public safety.
The severe erosion occurred at Andharikote near the Vana Durga Temple, where powerful surface runoff flowing down from the Mundia hills caved in one side of the highway. The affected stretch is part of National Highway-157, a critical segment of the Ranchi-Vijayawada corridor that serves as a vital economic link connecting South Odisha with Western Odisha.
The site had previously suffered severe damage from a massive landslide last year, which disrupted vehicular traffic for weeks. Kandhamala Collector Vedbhushan confirmed that officials from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will inspect the collapse site, adding that restoration and repair operations will commence as soon as the heavy rains subside.
In the interim, the administration has urged citizens to refrain from travelling through the ghat and warned tourists against entering the landslide zone to take photos or selfies.
