Karnataka: Search operations on to find 3 missing people in landslide-hit area

Rescue operations continued on Saturday as the three people who went missing in the July 16 landslide that hit Shirur village in Karnataka are yet to be locatedKarnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is expected to visit the landslide site on Sunday to review the search operationsEquipment like ground penetrating radar and metal detectors are being employed to help with the rescue efforts they said Further the official added that added that heavy rains are hampering the search operations reported PTIVehicular traffic has been temporarily suspended on National Highway 66 following the landslideRescue and search operations have resumed again today We are doing everything possible to trace those reported to be missing All agencies are doing their best We have recovered seven bodies so far and unfortunately three more are reported to be missing including the lorry driver from KeralaOur entire administration is at the spot helicopters were also arranged Navy is also coordinating the operation Superintendent of Police Karwar Narayana M told PTIAmong the three missing one is a lorry driver from Kerala When PTI asked about the missing lorry he said We are trying to trace the lorry Even though as per familys claim GPS global positioning system location of the lorry was tracked to the area where the landslide occurred we have not been able to trace the lorry yet When the incident occurred the entire hill collapsed on the road We are trying all possible things to locate the vehicleAs per the PTI report seven bodies have been recovered so far since the incident police saidKarnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said seven persons including four members of a family were feared killed in the landslide on National Highway 66A police officer told PTI We have recovered three bodies so far including that of 47yearold Lakshman Naik and his 36yearold wife Shanti Naik who were running an eatery on the National Highway 66 Search operations are underway to trace others who are feared deadFour members of a family who ran the Dhaba and three drivers might have died A total of seven people are suspected to have been killed the Minister said Body of a woman has been found floating in the river he addedSince the loaded gas tankers in the river can be dangerous people from the BPCL and HPCL are attending to it Gowda saidGowda said on the directions of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah the district in charge Minister Mankal S Vaidya has rushed to the spotThe Minister alleged that the National Highways Authority of India while building National Highway 66 cut the hill steep instead of a 45 degree slope resulting in the accidentLast year in July I went there I had received a complaint against NHAI I had then written to NHAI to rectify the design NHAI is a central body that doesnt respond on time he allegedDiscussions with the National Highway Authority officials will be held today itself Additionally a letter will be sent through the Chief Secretary of the government the Minister addedAfter the incident senior police officers and Deputy Commissioner of Uttara Kannada district Lakshmi Priya visited the sceneAccording to officials it might take more than 24 hours to clear the mud lying on the road as rains are hindering the operationMeanwhile the Karnataka government has announced a compensation of Rs five lakh each to the next of kin of those who were killed in the landslide