Bengaluru, 20 July

Rescue operations continued on Saturday in Shirur village in to locate three people, including a lorry driver from Kerala, who went missing following a massive landslide earlier this week.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is expected to visit the landslide site on Sunday to review the search operations.

Seven bodies have been recovered so far since the incident on 16 July, police said.

Equipment like ground penetrating radar and metal detectors are being employed to help with the rescue efforts, they said, adding heavy rains were hampering the search operations. "We are doing everything possible to trace those reported to be missing. Our entire administration is at the spot, helicopters were also arranged, Navy is also coordinating the operation," Superintendent of Police (Karwar), Narayana M told PTI.

Asked about the missing lorry driver from Kerala, he said, "We are trying to trace the lorry. Even though (as per family's claim) GPS (global positioning system) location of the lorry was tracked to the area where the landslide occurred, we have not been able to trace the lorry yet.."

Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah said the landslide situation in Uttara Kannada is dire.

Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday visited the landslide-hit area on Saturday afternoon and alleged that "unscientific work" has happened here, indicating it to be the cause of the incident. -PTI