Week after Karnataka landslide, woman’s body recovered from river

The deceased was identified as Sanni Hanumantha Gowda, a local villager who was at home when the landslide took place. Superintendent of Police (Karwar) Narayana M confirmed that a body was recovered and that it was in a decomposed state.

According to officials, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the Navy and fire and emergency services are continuing search operations at the site and in the Gangavalli River.

Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said on Tuesday morning that all operations have resumed, including Navy divers setting up boats, safety equipment, etc for deep dives around the identified landslide debris inside the river.

The Indian Army Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief Team comprising an officer, two junior commissioned officers and 55 others from the Maratha Light Infantry Regiment, Belagavi, and one junior commissioned officer and two others from the College of Military Engineering, Pune, are also engaged in the exercise.

Besides the rescue apparatus in the field, the Army team has specialised tools, including ground penetration radars, deep search metal detectors, rafts with overboard motors and specialised climbing equipment, officials said.

As per Indian Space Research Organisation satellite images from the day of the landslide, there is a possibility that a truck was pushed into the river.

While vehicular traffic has been suspended on NH-66 following the landslide, Geological Survey of India (GSI) officials have already raised concerns about the unscientific highway construction in the area. In a recent meeting, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had also questioned how the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was collecting toll on incomplete roads.