Karnataka landslide: 20,000 metric tonnes of soil cleared in 10 days; search intensifies for Arjun

Ankola (Karnataka): Over the past ten days, approximately 20,000 metric tonnes of soil have been cleared from the national highway during the search for three missing individuals, including Arjun, in Shiroor. Despite the extensive efforts, the bodies of the missing individuals, Lokesh and Jagannathan from Shiroor and Arjun from Kozhikode, remain undiscovered.

The search operation continues, with more dredgers being deployed to remove silt from the Gangavali River. However, logistical challenges arise in transporting large dredgers under the Konkan bridge, prompting the Karnataka government to explore alternative solutions.

Persistent heavy rainfall in Shiroor led to another landslide on Saturday afternoon, complicating the search efforts. The weather forecast predicts continued rainfall. In the coming days, drone inspections will be led by Retired Major General Indrabalan to aid the search operations. Brushing aside rumours about the mission's conclusion, Uttara Kannada Collector Lakshmi Priya confirmed that the search is ongoing.

In an effort to intensify the mission, Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas and M.K. Raghavan MP held a meeting in Shiroor. Riyas assured the media that the search operations would continue.

The meeting was attended by MLAs K.M. Sachin Dev, Linto Joseph, A.K.M. Ashraf, Karwar MLA Satish Sail, Collector Lakshmi Priya and SP Narayana.

Pontoon to counter river currents
The strong currents of the Gangavali River have hampered the search for Kozhikode native Arjun, who went missing in the Ankola landslide. In response, the Navy has introduced a new system involving pontoons. These pontoons will be positioned at the detected signal location to counteract the river's undercurrents, allowing Navy divers to search whether or not Arjun is still inside the lorry.

The river currents, reaching speeds of six knots per hour, have hindered search operations despite identifying the potential location of the lorry. Karwar MLA Satish Sail stated that the pontoons would help expedite the search.

Two pontoons, weighing 10 tonnes and 25 tons, will be anchored in the river to hold back the current. Their design ensures stability without drifting.

Uttara Kannada Collector Lakshmi Priya announced that the search using the new system would commence on Saturday afternoon. A signal detected by a drone inspection in the area where the river dam formed suggests that the lorry may have drifted from its previous location. The signal was received on Friday, approximately 60 metres from the shore.