Three members of a migrant worker's family, including a three-year-old child, were killed after a rain-triggered landslide buried their makeshift home in Thirthahalli town of Shivamogga district in the early hours of Sunday.
The landslide occurred around 2.30 am at Indira Nagar after continuous heavy rainfall caused a hillside and a retaining wall to collapse onto a temporary shed where the family was asleep, officials said.
The deceased were identified as Mallikarjun (35), his wife Nagaveni (28), and their son Santosh (3). The family, originally from Gangavathi taluk in Koppal district, had migrated to Shivamogga for work and had been living in the workers' shed for the past two years while working as daily wage labourers.
Another labourer, Hanumanta, sustained serious injuries and was admitted to McGann Hospital in Shivamogga. Another worker trapped in the collapse was rescued and shifted to Jayachamarajendra Hospital in Thirthahalli. Officials said several people living in neighbouring sheds also suffered injuries. Around 45 labourers were working at the site.
Police, Fire and Emergency Services personnel, along with local residents, launched a rescue operation amid heavy rain. The bodies of the three victims were recovered from beneath mud and debris after several hours.
Following the incident, authorities shifted residents from nearby temporary structures to safer locations and began assessing the stability of the surrounding hillside.
Thirthahalli MLA and former minister Araga Jnanendra and former minister Kimmane Rathnakar visited the site.
Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara expressed shock over the tragedy and directed officials to expedite relief operations and ensure all necessary assistance is provided to the affected families.
Railway disruption
The heavy rain that triggered the landslide also disrupted railway services in the Western Ghats. Train operations between Yedakumari and Shirivagilu stations in Sakleshpur taluk were severely affected after multiple landslips blocked the tracks with debris.
South Western Railway cancelled three trains scheduled to commence service on Monday — the Yesvantpur-Karwar Express (16515), Mangaluru Junction-Yesvantpur Express (16576), and the Karwar-KSR Bengaluru Panchaganga Express (16596). Restoration work, which began on Saturday night, continued through Sunday but was slowed by repeated landslides. The Railways arranged food and assistance for stranded passengers at Hassan, Subrahmanya Road, Shirivagilu and Bantwal stations.