Odisha Plans to Relocate Families from Landslide-Prone Hills After Gidipabali Tragedy

Bhubaneswar: In the wake of the devastating Gidipabali landslide in Ganjam district, the Odisha government has decided to relocate people living on and below vulnerable hills in a bid to prevent future casualties, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said.

The government has identified hundreds of landslide-prone locations in Kandhamal and Gajapati districts. A survey is underway to assess the number of families residing in these high-risk areas, following which they will be shifted to safer locations. New settlements and houses will be developed to rehabilitate the affected families, Pujari said.

The minister added that a team of officials had visited northeastern states to study measures adopted there to mitigate landslide risks.

Meanwhile, the government has directed the district administration to continue search and rescue operations at Gidipabali, where the landslide claimed at least two lives and left 11 people missing. After five days of intensive operations, rescue teams have struggled to clear massive boulders, thick mud and unstable debris despite deploying heavy machinery, chain-pulling techniques and life-detection equipment.

With hopes of finding survivors fading, families of the missing have begun performing symbolic last rites. However, Pujari assured that search operations would continue until all missing persons were accounted for.