Mandi: Even as the district authorities today engaged a dog squad to locate the bodies of missing victims of Sunday’s massive landslide at Kotrupi village in Padhar, 35 km from here, threat looms large over five villages.

Mandi: Even as the district authorities today engaged a dog squad to locate the bodies of missing victims of Sunday’s massive landslide at Kotrupi village in Padhar, 35 km from here, threat looms large over five villages.

A stream reportedly disappeared in the debris following the mudslide that swallowed a 150-metre stretch of the Mandi-Pathankot road. While 46 bodies were traced yesterday, no more bodies were recovered today.

Former pradhan of Urla panchayat Tek Singh said: “There was a Rupi Nullah nearby. It was not easy to cross during the rainy season. After the landside, that stream has gone. If it has got blocked, it may wreak havoc in Badvan, Ropa and Pandlahi villages. We have asked the authorities to take expert help because the accumulation of a large quantity of water under the debris might trigger a disaster anytime.”

Deep cracks appeared on the hilltop around five years ago, but the authorities did not take the development seriously, villagers alleged. “We have been urging for a survey by geologists, but to no avail,” they maintain. Urla vice-pradhan Puran Chand said five villages were under a constant threat.

Mandi DC Sandeep Kadam said geologists visited the site to ascertain the cause of the landslide. Badvaan and Ropa had been got vacated keeping in view the landslide threat, he added.