K'taka landslide: Kerala man missing for 3 days, govt urges deployment of ground penetrating radars

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has urged the Karnataka government to deploy ground-penetrating radars in the search for a Kozhikode man missing after the floods in Ankola, Uttara Kannada district.

In a letter to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Vijayan highlighted the distress of the missing man's family, who are anxiously awaiting any news.  “Given the urgency of the situation, it may be beneficial to consider deploying Ground Penetrating Radars to locate vehicles that might be buried under the debris. I kindly request you to direct the concerned authorities to explore this option and expedite the search and rescue operations. Your personal attention to this matter would be greatly appreciated,” he wrote.

Vijayan extended his deepest condolences for the lives lost in the tragic landslide and expressed sincere appreciation for the efforts undertaken by the Karnataka government in response to the disaster.

It may be noted that Kozhikode native and lorry driver Arjun has been missing for three days, with the search continuing without a breakthrough. According to the latest reports, the search will extend through the night as rescue operations face challenges amidst ongoing landslides and flooding. Persistent rain has hindered rescue efforts.

Manaf, the lorry owner, claimed that the search is being conducted for the first time at a location suggested by his team. He attributed the pressure from the Kerala government for expediting the operations. Using GPS technology and metal detectors, the search is focused on locations where the driver's signal was last detected. Four earth excavators and four tipper lorries are assisting in the rescue efforts, accompanied by Manaf, his brother Alfu, Arjun's brother, and friends.

Arjun's lorry was parked near a tea shop in Ankola along the Panvel-Kochi national highway. Tragically, the deaths of five members of a family inside the tea shop have been confirmed. Their bodies have been recovered, along with the bodies of two men inside a tanker lorry and an unidentified young boy. Two additional unidentified bodies remain in the hospital.