Karnataka landslide: Search for Kerala native Arjun enters 10th day; Check details

The search for Arjun, a Kozhikode native missing in a landslide in Shirur, Uttara Kannada, has reached a critical stage on day 10. A drone from Noida, brought with special permission from the Centre, will be used to scan the area and detect signals from under the river.

Shirur: The search operation for Arjun, a native of Kerala's Kozhikode who went missing in a landslide in Shirur, Uttara Kannada, has reached a critical stage on day 10. A drone will be used to scan the area and determine the exact location and condition of the truck. The search operation using the drone will begin at 12:30 pm. The scanner will also pick up signals from under the river. The drone was brought from Noida with special permission from the Centre. Three people, including Arjun, are yet to be found.

The batteries for the advanced drone-based intelligent underground buried object detection system (IBOD system) are being brought from Delhi on the Rajdhani Express train and are expected to arrive at the Karwar station at 9:40 am. From Karwar station, it takes around one hour to reach the landslide site. Within an hour and a half, the batteries will be transported to the site, and the IBOD drone observation system will be assembled and ready to operate by 11:15 am, according to officials.

The rescue team on Wednesday (July 24) located the truck of Arjun in the Gangavalli river after an extensive search. A team led by retired Major General Indrapal will deploy an advanced GPS-equipped drone to locate the position of the lorry today.

The main challenge faced by the Navy team is the strong undercurrent of the Gangavali river. The next steps will be decided based on ground reports and the strength of the river's flow. Currently, the river's flow is at 6 knots, and they are exploring ways to reduce it by half. The Navy is exploring possibilities to reduce the undercurrent. However, it is not possible to reduce the flow by closing regulator bridges or check dams, as all check dams are full and shutters cannot be closed. Only temporary measures can be taken to control the flow, and the decision will be made based on ground reports. The Navy will make the final decision on creating a temporary check dam. The equipment for this will be brought from the Karwar Naval Headquarters.

The swollen river presents a significant challenge for scuba divers searching. On Wednesday, the divers suspended their efforts due to zero visibility caused by adverse weather conditions.