Expert team visits Odisha village where earth caved in; collects samples

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhanjanagar, Sep 21:

A technical team led by Kshitish Patnaik, Joint Director of Geology Department (southern region) in Brahmapur, visited Mahulapalli village in Kandhamal district of Odisha yesterday to study the reason for earth caving in the area.

The experts did a GPS tracking of the area and studied its location including the longitude and latitude, the water level and magnitude of the crater. They have also taken samples of soil, water and rocks for further analysis.  The team would submit its report to the administration.

It may be noted that the first instance of earth caving in occurred in the district at Dhepaguda and its hamlet villages Mahuapalli and Thuriamba under Indragarh panchayat of Raikia block in Kandhamal on September 15.

The incident created large craters in these villages, the largest one being 33-feet wide and 40-feet deep. The crater took a 65 year old bael tree inside it.

Meanwhile, the size of the crater continues to increase and earth continues to cave in at many other new places in and around the villages. Many new small and medium-sized, 5-6 feet deep holes keep coming up every day.

The villagers have been moved to safety to a nearby school since September 17. The administration is trying to move the settlement to another location given the impending danger.