With the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other agencies resuming the search and rescue operation for the fourth day on Sunday at Irshalwadi village in Maharashtra's Raigad district, the latest death toll in the massive landslide has reached 27, officials said.
Of the 27 killed, 12 are women, 10 men and four children. One of the victims yet to be identified. The deceased also include nine members of a family.
Bad light and inclement weather forced officials to call off the rescue operation on Saturday night. No body was recovered so far after the search and rescue operation resumed in the morning, said an NDRF official. At least 81 persons are yet to be traced, according to authorities.
The tribal village in Khalapur tehsil is located on a hill slope, around 80 km from Mumbai. The deadly landslide wreaked havoc in the village on Wednesday night and at least 17 of 48 houses in the village were reportedly buried under the debris.
The village lacks a pucca road and hence the NDRF teams have been struggling to move excavators and earth-movers through the difficult hilly terrain.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray met the local residents and said there should be a rehabilitation policy to move people from Irshalwadi and other landslide-prone areas of the state to safer locations. He also said that all parties should keep politics aside and work together.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reportedly agreed with Thackeray on the need to set aside politics and find a solution to the issue.
– With PTI inputs
