On Thursday, 32 people were killed in a landslide in Taliye village of Mahad taluka of Raigad. Around 35 houses were buried under the rubble and many people are still feared missing or trapped. In two separate incidents in Maharashtra, 36 people have died due to landslides amid incessant rains.
Another landslide incident occurred in Poladpur where 11 people died, which is also a landslide-prone area. Teams of NDRF, SDRF, Navy, and local administration were rushed to the spot on the evening of Thursday 22 July. However, rescue and relief efforts were hampered due to heavy rains, waterlogging, and connectivity issues. Local authorities are yet to ascertain the exact details of the casualties.
Raigad District Collector Nidhi Choudhary said, “32 bodies have been recovered from the rubble and the rescue operation is still on.”
According to the district administration, around 110 villages in the district are vulnerable to landslides and 20 of them are particularly vulnerable.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that the rescue operation is underway and has ordered evacuation and relocation of people living in areas where landslides are likely, news agency ANI reported.
Expressing his condolences to the bereaved families of the deceased, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the situation in Maharashtra is being closely monitored and assistance is being provided to the affected.