Raigad landslide: Toll mounts to 27; 81 villagers still missing

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) resumed search operation on the fourth day at the landslide-hit Irshalwadi village in the Raigad district of Maharashtra, where 81 villagers are still missing.

Raigad (Maharashtra): The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has so far recovered at least 27 bodies after a landslide hit the Irshalwadi village in Maharashtra's Raigad district on Wednesday, July 19 night, officials said on Sunday. The NDRF along with other agencies have also resumed the search and rescue operation for the fourth day on Sunday at the hamlet.

An NDRF official said that no body was recovered since Sunday morning since the search and rescue operation resumed. He added that 81 persons are yet to be traced. The search operation was halted on Saturday night due to bad light and inclement weather.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who had visited the spot, had said that his government's priority was to save the lives of the villagers. His government has already announced an ex-gratia of Rs five lakh to the kin of the deceased. Shinde, who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, July 22 in the national capital, had appraised the latter on the rescue and relief work in the landslide-hit Irshalwadi village.

The landslide occurred at the tribal village, situated on a hill slope under Khalapur tehsil, which is located around 80 km from Mumbai. At least 17 of 48 houses in the village were fully or partially buried under the landslide debris. The rescue operation is being carried out manually as earth movers and excavators could not be easily moved to the village in the absence of a pucca road.

According to the NDRF official, of the 27 bodies recovered so far, 12 are women, 10 men and four children, while one person is unidentified. Nine members of a family had perished in the disaster.

On Saturday, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) chief Uddhav Thackeray met residents of Irshalwadi. The Shiv Sena (UBT) supremo said people living in landslide-prone areas in Maharashtra should be moved to safer locations. “Not just Irsahlwadi. All such localities should be rehabilitated in nearby villages or areas,” he said. The former chief minister said he had planned a scheme to rehabilitate villages residing in landslide-prone areas to safer places.

After the tragic incident, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had spoken to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and assured all possible help from the Centre.

Meanwhile, the Raigad district administration has prohibited people from going to Irshalwadi from July 23 to August 6. Raigad Resident Deputy Collector Sandesh Shirke said the revenue department is assessing the land lost in the accident and special camps will be organised to give official documents like Aadhaar cards to the affected villages.