People travelling between Mangaluru and Bengaluru via Charmadi Ghat (NH 234) had a harrowing experience on Monday night after they were stranded for several hours in traffic jams triggered by massive landslides in the middle of the ghat section.
The debris was cleared only on Tuesday afternoon. Landslides at nine locations of the ghat left more than 3,000 passengers and around 500 vehicles stranded. Women and children were the worst hit.
Fearing further landslides, and to repair the road, vehicular movement has been prohibited on Charmadi Ghat till June 14, said Chikkamagaluru SP K Annamalai.
Road-clearing operations were slow, as work to clear slush and trees at one end was hit by landslides at the other end of the highway.
The major landslide occurred a few metres away from the medicinal plant nursery on Charmadi Ghat. According to Dakshina Kannada SP Ravikanthe Gowda, more than 1,500 commuters from Belthangady side remained stranded since Monday night. Social workers and police made arrangements to supply water and refreshments to children, senior citizens and diabetics. Two persons who fell sick were rushed to Belthangady hospital in an ambulance.
Earth-movers were pressed into service, but rainwater gushing on to the road affected relief work. Trees were uprooted at 13 locations from Chikkamagaluru side.