Rain-triggered landslide severs connectivity to 3 Gram Panchayats in Odisha’s Similipal

A major landslide occurred near the Mahurabhandar area in the Similipal Wildlife Sanctuary in Mayurbhanj district following continuous heavy rainfall on Sunday, disrupting road connectivity in the region. 

As per reports, the landslide has blocked the Jashipur-Gudgudia road, effectively cutting off access to three Gram Panchayats near the sanctuary.

As a result, residents in these areas have been left isolated, with no immediate road communication available. The incident came to light late last night.

Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia, along with the Deputy Director of North Similipal, visited the site to assess the situation firsthand. 

Must Read: Heavy to very heavy rain alert for Odisha districts; check IMD’s latest forecast

Authorities are currently evaluating the damage and planning necessary steps for restoration and relief.

Heavy rain alert

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that several parts of Odisha are likely to experience thunderstorms as well as heavy to very heavy rainfall in the coming days.

As per the prediction, heavy to very heavy rain and thunderstorm with lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph is very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, and Koraput on Tuesday.

As per the IMD, the low-pressure area over the Northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts lies over the coastal Gangetic West Bengal and neighbourhood is likely to move slowly west-northwestwards across North Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, and Jharkhand during the next two days.