Deccan Herald
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje

Mangalore, Jun 8: About 15 people residing in 5 houses at Karavali Lane at Nanthoor had a narrow escape when the land behind their houses slid on Saturday night and Sunday morning 

In fact, the residents continue to live in danger as the threat of another landslide seems evident.
While the toilet belonging to a school atop the hill collapsed, the St Joseph’s school is on the verge of collapse. Besides, a huge tree is at the edge of the hillock and may collapse any moment.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Lucy Mascarenhas, whose house is located just below the hillock, said that her daughter was sleeping and she was waiting for her husband (to return from work) at around 10 pm on Saturday, when she heard a loud sound and felt that the earth was shaking. She simply dragged her daughter and ran outside the house. At the same time, residents of other houses too ran outside their houses. In fact, they did not know what happened as there was no power at that time. However, minutes later they realised that the hillock behind their houses had collapsed and they had a narrow escape. The whole night they spent in fear. Due to the impact of the landslide, one of the trees in the backyard was uprooted and fell on the roof of Lucy’s house. When four people were cutting the tree on Sunday morning, there was another landslide. According to Valerian Mascarenhas, an eyewitness, the four climbed the tile-roof and jumped on the other side of the house to save their lives.
 
Lucy Mascarenhas alleged that the levelling of hillock using a JCB for the last few weeks, next to their compound, resulted in the landslide. “Despite our repeated pleas, they did not stop the levelling work,” she said and added that “the land owners have told us to stay in a rented house for some time.

They have also assured to put up sand bags to prevent further landslide. But what is the guarantee that the sandbags can withstand huge hillock? she questioned and quipped: “How can we go leaving our property?” They have been residing in the house for the last 60 years, she informed.

Several officials and MLA N Yogish Bhat visited the spot.

Meanwhile, reports reaching Daijiworld informed that traffic was thrown out of gear after compound wall of a building collapsed and fell across the Jyothi-Hampankatta road on Monday June 8 morning. However, there has not been any casualty either to property or life.