Torrential rains have wreaked havoc in Gajapati district, Odisha, claiming the lives of two individuals due to landslides, authorities confirmed.

The deceased have been identified as Trinath Nayak from Bastriguda gram panchayat and Laxman Nayak from Meripalli gram panchayat, Gajapati District Collector Madhumita stated on X. Expressing profound grief over the incident, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced compensation of Rs 4 lakh each for the victims’ families. The CM also consulted with the district collector and directed Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena to visit Gajapati to supervise relief and rescue operations.

In Bastiguda, under R. Udaygiri police station, a landslide occurred as locals were returning home, with large boulders tumbling down. 

The relentless rains have caused widespread disruptions across Gajapati, Rayagada, and Koraput districts, including landslides, waterlogging, and transport blockages. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a ‘red alert’ for extremely heavy rainfall in several districts, prompting authorities to take precautionary measures.

Rescue operations are ongoing, with teams working to clear blocked roads and search for missing individuals, including a father-son duo, Kartika Shabara (70) and Rajib Shabara, who went missing after a landslide in Rayagada block.