Suligeri Village Remains Cut Off for Weeks After Uttara Kannada Landslide Hits Access Roads
A landslide triggered by heavy rainfall has left Suligeri village in Uttara Kannada district cut off from the rest of the region for over three weeks, with more than 35 families stranded without access to electricity, fuel, or transportation. Local officials confirmed that roads remain blocked, power poles remain down, and critical supplies are running low. As isolation deepens, urgent restoration of infrastructure is required to ensure safety and access to essential services.
The landslide not only disrupted mobility but also downed three electricity poles, plunging the village into darkness for 21 days. With no kerosene available and batteries running out, most families have been forced to depend on daylight for all household activities. Community members report having dinner before dusk and retiring early, with school-going children facing acute challenges in continuing their studies due to the lack of light and access to educational institutions. Students attempting to attend examinations or admissions have had to take extraordinary measures, including hiking through risky terrain and arranging transport at their own cost. Some have even relocated temporarily to nearby towns or stayed with relatives to avoid being trapped by the inaccessibility.
Teachers working in Suligeri’s schools have turned classrooms into makeshift shelters, unable to return home due to blocked roads. Meanwhile, workers commuting to the nearby KPCL power station are provided with special transport via jeep after being dropped at the landslide site, a facility unavailable to the villagers. Ironically, the same Kodasalli hydropower facility that supplies nearly 100MW of electricity is now facing its own crisis, with transformers damaged and operations relying entirely on diesel generators. Energy officials warn that even the power station may face a complete blackout if diesel supplies are further disrupted.
The urgency of clearing roads and restoring connectivity is growing, as ration shortages and safety concerns mount among the stranded families. With the monsoon continuing to batter the region, Suligeri’s plight underscores the need for robust rural climate adaptation and emergency infrastructure planning in India’s ecologically vulnerable regions.
