NEW DELHI/LUCKNOW, Aug 18: At least 178 people, including the entire 12th batch of 60 pilgrims on its way to Kailash-Mansarovar and eight personnel of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), are feared killed in a massive landslide triggered by heavy rains that started at about 12.30 a.m., sweeping off the entire Malpa village in Pithoragarh district bordering China and Nepal.Noted danseuse Protima G Bedi, who was among the pilgrims to Kailash-Mansarovar, is also feared killed in the landslide.Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) general manager RS Adhikari said chances of survival of those missing are bleak due to the magnitude of the tragedy.The continuing rains and mudslides in the area have made the rescue operations extremely difficult.Malpa village with 40 houses (with an average of 10 members each) is feared to have been wiped out. Situated close to a steep gorge, Malpa slipped into the river Kali, flowing about 500 metre down the gorge. The first evacuation team of the ITBP and the Army, whichmanaged to reach the spot from two nearby villages Gunji and Galan, reported on the wireless message to the ITBP Control Room: ``There is no plain area and incessant rains have weakened the loose soil of the gorge, which is fast sliding into the river.''The team, which reached late in the evening, also reported that no evacuation was possible at this moment, as heavy rains have made the land slippery and it is impossible to walk. Meanwhile, it was informed that all the 51 pilgrims of the 13th batch led by Anil Kaushik are safe.Deputy Director of Telecom Gopinath, who had earlier visited Mansarovar, told The Indian Express : ``I got a call from DD Hat, 60 km from Darchula, saying that all the 13th batch pilgrims are camping there and have not moved further owing to bad weather.'' Even the ninth batch pilgrims camping at Gunji village are advised not to move further till the weather improves, the ITBP officials said.Confirming this, ITBP Director General of Police Gautam Kaul said heavy rains coupled withlandslides and fog had snapped all links from the scene of the accident. ``Some of our jawans camping in Malpa managed to survive the landslide and informed us on the wireless about the incident. This is the only wireless link we have with the scene of the accident,'' Kaul said. He left with senior officials in a Chetak helicopter to Darchula.Late night reports said that Kaul, accompanying medical officers, is stuck at Bareilly and will be able to leave for the spot only after the weather improves. Army doctors at Darchula have also not been able to move due to bad weather.There are only four ways to reach Malpa by road and all these links have been snapped. There is one link from Darchula, another from Gunji and Garbyan and one from the Nepal border.Nine persons belonging to the Government Roads Engineering Service are also trapped in the landslides.
