Maharashtra Rains: Landslide Kills 16 In Raigad, 17 Houses Destroyed; Search And Rescue Ops Underway

Search and rescue operation underway after a landslide at Irshalwadi village in Raigad district (PTI Photo)

New Delhi: Amid heavy rains across several cities in Maharashtra, at least 16 people were killed after a massive landslide at a village in Raigad district on Wednesday. The landslide occurred around 11 pm at the Irshalwadi village in Khalapur tehsil, around 80 km from state capital Mumbai. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reached the site on Thursday morning and took stock of the situation and spoke to personnel engaged in rescue operations.

"As many as 103 people have been identified who were living there. Some of them were out for work in paddy fields and some children had gone to residential schools. Search for them is on," Shinde said.

The state government is making all efforts to carry out the rescue and relief operations in the area, he added.

"Our priority now is to rescue those still trapped beneath the rubble," he said.

#रायगड जिल्ह्यातील #खालापूर जवळील #इर्शाळवाडी या दुर्घटनाग्रस्त गावाला भेट देऊन येथील परिस्थितीचा आणि सुरू असलेल्या मदतकार्याचा आढावा घेतला.

या दुर्घटनेत १२ जणांचा मृत्यू झाला आहे. काही ग्रामस्थ भातशेतीच्या कामासाठी इतरत्र गेले असून गावातील काही मुले आश्रमशाळेमध्ये शिक्षण घेत… pic.twitter.com/faoC8wAK7R

— Eknath Shinde - एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) July 20, 2023

"This village was not on the list of landslide-prone villages," Shinde told reporters.

The village has around 50 houses, of which 17 were buried under the landslide.

Calling it an 'unfortunate incident', he said that the state government stands with the affected people.

There is continuous heavy rainfall and the debris and rubble have mounted up to 15 to 20 feet, the Maharashtra CM informed.

Two helicopters have been kept ready for the operation, but they have not been able to take off due to the bad weather.

On the rehabilitation of the landslide-affected villagers, the CM said 50 to 60 containers have been arranged for them (as temporary shelters) and there was a plan to move them to a safer place.

"We will soon take steps to carry out proper rehabilitation of the landslide-affected villagers. I have spoken to the divisional commissioner and district collector and discussed permanent rehabilitation of these villagers immediately. We are doing it on a war footing," Shinde said.

#इर्शाळवाडी येथील दरड कोसळलेल्या दुर्घटना स्थळाच्या दिशेने चालत असताना वाटेत काही ग्रामस्थ मला भेटले. त्यांची आस्थेने विचारपूस करून प्रत्यक्ष परिस्थिती देखील जाणून घेतली. तसेच त्यांना धीर देत सरकार तुम्हाला शक्य ती सारी मदत करेल असे आश्वस्त केले.

मातीच्या ढिगाऱ्याखाली अडकलेल्या… pic.twitter.com/ThsosJKc5t

— Eknath Shinde - एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) July 20, 2023

Four NDRF teams along with local authorities are currently engaged in the rescue work, along with the fire brigade and some local trekkers.

This, notably, is the biggest landslide in Maharashtra after the July 30, 2014 landslide in Ambegaon tehsil of Pune district. The massive landslide had swallowed up almost the entire tribal village of around 50 families. The final death toll was 153 when the rescue operation was stopped. Nothing of the old village remained except for its school building.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday spoke to Eknath Shinde and enquired about the landslide in Raigad.

Heavy rains create flood-like situation in Raigad, over 2,200 people shifted

More than 2,200 people have been evacuated as heavy rains created a flood-like situation in parts of Raigad with the downpour damaging at least 125 houses in the district.

As a result of incessant rainfall, 17 out of 28 dams in Raigad are overflowing, the district administration said in a statement. Several places in the district recorded more than 200 mm rainfall in 24 hours, it said.

In the 24-hour period ending 10 am on Thursday, Panvel taluka received 267.7 mm rainfall, followed by Poladpur at 266 mm, Mahad 230.9 mm, Karjat 226.6 mm, Pen 212.7 mm, Uran 207.5 mm, Sudhagad 196.4 mm, Khalapur 182.5 mm, Tala 186 mm and Aliabg 180.4 mm. Mhasala taluka recorded 169.5 mm rainfall during this period, followed by Roha 156.9 mm, Mangaon 148.1 mm, Shrivardhan 145.4 mm and Murud 134.8 mm.

The weather department had issued a red alert for July 18 and 19.

Due to heavy rainfall and the flood-like situation at some places in the district, a total of 2,227 people from 746 families were moved to safety. Of them, 704 people are from Poladpur taluka, 450 people from Chirner village in Uran taluka and 430 people from Mahad taluka, the district administration said.

People from Pen, Mangaon, Panvel, Karjat, and Khalapur talukas are also among the evacuees.

Due to heavy rain at Mahabaleshwar and Poladpur, the Savitri River is in spate and the flood water has entered the low-lying areas of Mahad town. The level of the Patalganaga River is also flowing above the danger mark, which led to flooding in Aapta town.

There is a flood-like situation in Chirner village of Uran taluka.