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Three days after a massive landslide hit Irshalwadi in Khalapur Tsil district of Raigad district, the Maharashtra government said that 78 villagers had not been traced until Saturday night. According to data provided by the state disaster management body, the death toll had risen to 27 as of 6:30 pm on Saturday. Eight villagers were injured.
While the government estimated the total number of untraceable villagers in the landslide at 78, the government said that out of the 229 people living in the village, the authorities were able to count 151 villagers. Of these 151 villagers, 27 died and their bodies were recovered. Eight villagers are being treated in a hospital.
Amid heavy rains battering Raigad district, the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) resumed rescue operations and recovered four dead bodies on Saturday. Rescue operations were suspended on Saturday night and will resume on Sunday to find 78 villagers still trapped under the rubble.
We’ve done rescues in the last three days. Today, we recovered four bodies. “Rescue operations will continue,” said Pramod Kumar Singh, NDF Deputy Commander Raigad. “The landslide happened on a massive scale. On average, about 15 feet of sludge accumulated. We even use tusks, but because the wreck is so deep, it becomes difficult for us to track people.”
Meanwhile, according to the state government, 69 survivors are being housed in a shelter while another 31 are staying in an ashram school. Sixteen local residents have moved in with relatives. Moreover, the Raigad district administration has also set up a colony of 36 shipping containers in Chowk, a town adjacent to the old Mumbai-Pune highway, in a bid to make temporary accommodation arrangements for the victims on Friday evening. According to the district administration, utilities such as water, gas and electricity will be provided to families.
60 kilometers from Mumbai, Erchalwadi was hit by a massive landslide on Wednesday night. A mountain village largely inhabited by the tribe of Thakur Adivasi, Irchalwadi is a small village located near Irchalgad fort and is a popular trekking destination during weekends.
The survivors, who managed to escape just in time, noted that the landslide felt like an explosion. “We don’t know what lies ahead…,” echoed several survivors while speaking to The Indian Express.
Even as survivors gave up hope of finding their loved ones and homes, four NDRF teams along with officials of the Police Force, Disaster Relief Force (TDRF) and District Administration as well as several local hikers took part in the rescue operations that began in the early hours of Thursday.
As heavy rains continue to fall in Raigad district, rescuers are facing several challenges. Besides, since the rescuers could not move the heavy machinery, due to the narrowness of the road leading to the village, they dug up the rubble manually with shovels and axes and used cutters to cut the wood in the stricken houses. “We already lose a lot of energy after a two-hour journey to reach the village. Moreover, when we manage to remove some debris, a lot of sludge flows again because of the heavy rain,” said one of the rescuers, who asked not to be identified.
According to local residents assisting in the operations, a foul odor has begun to emanate from the corpses, making rescue operations more difficult. Rescuers excavate by smelling camphor and Nilgiri oil. The district administration also sprayed disinfectants to suppress the odor.
“Now dead bodies and animals have started to decompose and a foul smell has started emitting from yesterday. We are now taking out the bodies and we smell camphor and Nilgiri oil,” said Shubham Bord, 27, a resident of Karjat who has been involved in the rescue operations since Thursday.
“Since the entire village is deeply buried under the rubble, we are unable to identify the houses. Locals are helping us by pointing out their homes,” Borad said on Saturday evening.
Meanwhile, Dr. Shyam Kadam of the Animal Husbandry Department of Raigad Zilla Parishad said four bulls and a goat were also killed in the landslide. Six bulls, 10 goats and one dog, who were rescued alive from the rubble, are receiving treatment from veterinarians stationed atop the hill. Khadam said, “We treat the secondary infection by giving antibiotics, painkillers and saline solution. They are fed the dry matter, which is taken to the site by our team members.”
He added that while the animals suffer from weakness and dullness, they are recovering at a good pace. “The animals have slowed down a bit because of their injuries. They also experience pain while bending over. But fortunately, they are responding well to treatment and getting better every day.
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