16 killed in Maharashtra tribal village landslide; 21 rescued.

At least 16 people were killed in a massive landslip that struck a remote hilly tribal village in Maharashtra’s Raigad district over the course of the previous night while it was raining, according to NDRF officials. On Thursday, the National Disaster Response Force halted its daylong search and rescue operation for survivors because of the downpour.

According to them, up to 21 persons were saved from the scene.

Irshalwadi village, located on a hillside in Khalapur tehsil of the coastal district, some 80 km from Mumbai, experienced a landslip at 11 p.m. on Wednesday. The landslip destroyed 17 of the roughly 50 dwellings in the hamlet.

The tragedy happened in the hilly terrain following heavy rains.

Irshalwadi, which is located without a pucca road, may be reached from the base of the hill in around 1.5 hours.

16 bodies were found at the landslip site during the day, according to NDRF and police officials, while 21 people were rescued. The Raigad police reported that 13 victims’ last rites were carried out close to the catastrophe scene.

In the morning, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde travelled to Irshalwadi to assess the situation and speak with those involved in the rescue effort. “Irshalwadi wasn’t listed among the villages at risk for landslides. The rescue of those still buried beneath the rubble is our top concern right now, he told reporters there.

The state administration supports the impacted people in light of this very regrettable situation, according to Shinde. According to him, there has been constant, heavy rain, and the amount of rubble and debris has grown to 15 to 20 feet.

Authorities were unable to move the equipment needed for the rescue effort, according to Shinde. Two helicopters were held on standby for the operation, but the terrible weather prevented them from taking off, he said.

The CM stated that 50 to 60 containers have been set aside for the villagers who have been affected by the landslip (as temporary shelters) and that there is a plan to relocate them to a safer location.

“We’ll start moving shortly to properly rehabilitate the villages harmed by the landslip. I have communicated with the district collector and divisional commissioner about quickly rehabilitating these folks permanently. We are approaching it like a war, Shinde stated.

According to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and other officials, search and rescue workers at the scene were having difficulty moving heavy equipment due to the area’s challenging hill topography.

Due to poor weather, NDRF officers had to pause their search and rescue effort at the landslip site in the evening. The operation will continue on Friday morning. Due to the mountainous terrain and terrible weather, it was difficult to transport heavy equipment to the catastrophe site, therefore NDRF members were only equipped with tiny tools.

The NDRF has suspended operations for the day, an official stated, citing the ongoing heavy rain, the possibility of more landslides, and the presence of nighttime.

At 5 am on Friday, the four NDRF teams leading the search and rescue operation and a large number of other workers would resume their work, he said. From Mumbai, Thane, and Navi Mumbai, personnel and large equipment were dispatched for the rescue and relief operation.

According to an official, the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) sent three Bobcat-made machines from its solid waste management department sites following a request from Chief Minister Shinde. Due to their smaller size and improved agility, these jcb loaders will hasten rescue and relief efforts.