Daijiworld Media Network - Madikeri (SP)

Madikeri, Aug 26: The number of victims of the worst natural disaster to have hit Kodagu district has been mounting with each passing day. On Saturday August 25, three more bodies were found, taking the toll in the district to 14.

The mortal remains of Billavara Chandrappa (58), who had gone missing since last Sunday from Hebbettageri village, that of O K Babu (56), who disappeared suddenly from Udayagiri, Makkandur, and of Francis Monteiro alias Appu (47), who disappeared from Hadageri in Somwarpet taluk, were found by the rescue teams on Saturday.

All the three were buried alive during huge landslides. Chandrappa's body was found by the National Disaster Response Force, and that of Babu was found by the Garuda team. The body of Francis was recovered by Garuda, navy and police teams on Saturday evening and retrieved from under the earth.

The agonizing wait of families for the bodies of Gilbert Mendonca, retired soldier from Hebbale, Harish Kumar, Manjula (15), daughter of Somanna from Jodupala, and Gagan (7) who was washed away at Hebbettageri village, continues as the teams are working frantically to find out bodies of humans and cattle as hopes of finding missing ones alive have completely diminished.