Maharashtra landslide: Death toll at 27, 81 still missing, search operation continues
Maharashtra landslide: The search and rescue operation for victims of the massive landslide at Irshalwadi village in Maharashtra's Raigad district entered its fourth day on Sunday. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other agencies have been diligently working to find survivors and recover bodies after the devastating incident.
As of now, the death toll has risen to 27, with 81 people still unaccounted for. The tragic landslide occurred on Wednesday night at the tribal village, situated on a hill slope under Khalapur tehsil, about 80 km from Mumbai. The disaster resulted in at least 17 out of 48 houses in the village being partially or fully buried under the debris.
Despite facing challenges like bad weather and difficult access, the search and rescue operation has been relentless. However, due to the absence of proper roads, earth movers and excavators could not be utilised, and manual efforts are currently underway.
Maharashtra | NDRF continues search & rescue operation at Raigad Irshalgad landslide-hit area: NDRF
IMD issued an 'orange' alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places in Palghar, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts. pic.twitter.com/x8Ad0TK8QL — ANI (@ANI) July 23, 2023
Out of the 27 bodies recovered so far, 12 are women, 10 are men, and four are children, while one person remains unidentified. Tragically, nine members of a single family were among the victims.
In response to the heartbreaking incident, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray visited the affected area and urged the relocation of people living in landslide-prone regions to safer locations. He proposed a scheme for the rehabilitation of villages in such areas, ensuring their safety and protection from future calamities.
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- With inputs from agencies