Kandhamal, Odisha : Kalinga Ghati landslide in Odisha’s Kandhamal district on Tuesday afternoon blocked NH-167, stranding hundreds of vehicles on the Vijayawada–Ranchi highway.
The incident occurred around 3 p.m. near Andharkot, when incessant rainfall loosened soil and boulders, sending tonnes of debris crashing onto the highway. Nearly 20 to 30 metres of the road is now buried under rocks and mud, bringing traffic to a standstill.
Buses, trucks, and private vehicles remain stuck at various points along the route. Stranded passengers are grappling with food and water shortages, while continuous rain has heightened fears of another landslide.
NH-167 is considered a lifeline for several Odisha districts, including Kandhamal, Boudh, Subarnapur, Balangir, Bargarh, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, and Malkangiri. The disruption has also severed vital links with neighbouring Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.
Officials said that ongoing highway widening work, combined with heavy rainfall, had weakened the hillside, leading to the collapse. Police and fire service teams rushed to the spot, and while no casualties or trapped vehicles have been reported so far, authorities warned that clearing the massive debris will take considerable time.
The landslide has effectively cut off road connectivity between Ganjam, Kandhamal, and western Odisha towns. Travellers on urgent journeys have been forced to wait helplessly in the rain.
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