Now Reading: GPR deployed, blasts stepped up in Odisha landslide search
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GPR deployed, blasts stepped up in Odisha landslide search
The Story in Brief
Search and rescue operations at Odisha's Gidipabali village entered their fourth day on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, with ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and controlled blasting deployed to locate at least 10 people missing after a Cyclone Arnab-triggered landslide on 28 October. Bodies of two men, Salman Pradhan (29) and Rabi Mallick (52), were recovered on 1 November. Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said 157 personnel from NDRF, ODRAF, Railways and Fire Services, plus 25 local volunteers, are engaged.
Fire Services Director General Sudhansu Sarangi said three controlled explosions on 2 November failed to break house-sized boulders blocking access. With Mines Department assistance, fresh blasting began on Tuesday, with results expected by evening. Two survivors rescued earlier and 11 others who escaped are housed in relief camps. Two women were admitted to a community health centre after falling ill, Sambad English and Odishabytes reported.
Indian Opinion Analysis
All three outlets report the same operation and figures, differing only in minor framing choices. Orissapost and Odishabytes lead with the deployment of ground-penetrating radar and quote Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, giving an official-government emphasis on escalated effort. Sambad English leads with the Fire Services DG's hope of concluding by Tuesday evening and adds the detail that three earlier blasts failed, leaning more into operational challenge. The core facts, 10 or 11 missing, two bodies recovered, 157 personnel, 25 volunteers, are identical across sources. The balanced reading is that the multi-agency operation is intensifying with new technology while the same boulder obstruction remains, with the outcome of the day's efforts expected by Tuesday evening.
Coverage: 3 sources, 3 neutral
Sources (3): orissapost.com (neutral report), sambadenglish.com (neutral report), odishabytes.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
Update, 3 November 2026: this story now draws on 3 sources.
