Mobile phones come in handy in search op

SHIMLA : While kith and kin prayed for the well-being of their dear ones, the use of cellular technology by the search and rescue teams has proved to be extremely useful in the identification of victims buried deep under the debris of major landslide in Mandi’s Kotrupi village, where 46 have been killed so far.

The first information regarding the accident was reported by a victim trapped under debris. Anita Kumari, who was travelling on the Manali-Katra bus, dialed the emergency number after the landslide. “I was trapped inside the bus. My phone was with me, so I immediately dialed the emergency number,” she told HT.

The administration called off the search operation and total 46 bodies were recovered.

It was becoming difficult to identify bodies covered in mud when the police used cellular phones to track the location of bodies. “Recovered SIM cards were used by the police to identify at least 25 dead bodies,” DGP) Somesh Goel said. Police personnel then used call logs and contact lists from the recovered mobile phones from the debris to identify the victims.

A cop deployed in the search operation said, “Mobile network is good in Himachal as compare to other hilly states.” Some phones were active even after being buried under the debris.”