Raigad landslide: Any chance of more survivors in Wednesday’s landslide is nil as bodies decompose under rubble. Plan afoot to seal off entire village
An NDRF team at work on Day 2
The challenging rescue operation underway at Irsalwadi village following the devastating landslide on Wednesday night has been encountering severe obstacles. The bodies of those trapped have begun to decompose, emitting a foul odour through the village. The wet soil from the landslide is proving dangerous for rescuers as they cannot step on it without their legs getting trapped.
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The authorities may consider calling off the rescue operation, leading to the village being sealed. More than 50 hours have passed since the landslide with a death toll of 22, and authorities said on Friday the chances of finding survivors are unfortunately diminishing significantly.
“Prioritizing the safety of the rescue teams is of utmost importance. A careful assessment of the situation must be made to determine whether it is still viable to continue the rescue efforts or if stopping the operation is necessary to avoid further harm to the rescue personnel.
An NDRF team near the debris in Irsalwadi. Pic/Faizan Khan
As of now we have not reached a conclusion and will discuss with the concerned authorities before taking any decision,” said Yogesh Mhase, collector, Raigad. “I have never seen such a rescue operation where it is difficult to even carry machinery for it,” he added.
No one rescued
On Friday the rescue operation began at 5. 30 am with a team of NDRF, Fire Brigade, officials from the Navi Mumbai Disaster Management, CIDCO, Raigad police, villagers and social workers. Around 1,000 people participated in the rescue operation and managed to recover six more bodies in a 12 hours operation. The rescue was called off at 5.30 pm and the bodies recovered from the debris were buried in the village with the prior permission of their family members, who managed to survive. No life was saved on Friday.
“It’s an emotionally challenging decision, because in various past operations, people have been rescued after several days. We are committed to exploring all possibilities here as well, despite facing severe challenges in conducting rescue operations during heavy rain. The relatives in the village have placed a lot of hope in us, hoping that they can at least see their loved ones, even if they are no longer alive, so they can perform their last rites with respect,” Mhase added.
The collector also mentioned that a foul odour has started to emanate from the debris, and they have sprayed disinfectant in the village. They have requested the survivors to relocate to the rehabilitation camps set up below the hills. On record the village had a population of 234 but authorities estimated about 300 people were there at the time of the landslide. There are about 90 survivors.
‘Situation may worsen’
An NDRF personnel, who was involved in the rescue operation, said, “By tomorrow evening, the situation will worsen as we can see that the bodies of people and animals trapped inside the debris have decomposed. Unfortunately, we are unable to remove them due to the unavailability of necessary machinery. The sticky debris has caused some of our team members’ legs to get trapped in the mud. The rescue operation has been suspended today due to inclement weather conditions and heavy rain and will continue tomorrow morning at the same time with the same 4 NDRF teams. Today the teams recovered six bodies”
“In addition to the rescue operation, providing psychological support to the affected families and communities is crucial during this difficult time. The emotional toll of such a tragedy can be immense, and offering assistance and comfort to those who have lost loved ones or are waiting for news about missing family members is essential,” Mhase added further.
Landslide-prone area residents to be rehabilitated
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde told the legislature that the state cabinet had taken a decision to rehabilitate all the residents of landslide-prone areas in the state. He said the cabinet had discussed the issue on Friday afternoon. The CM was present in Irsalwadi on Thursday to monitor the rescue operations. “The government has asked the administration to immediately shift the residents from landslide-prone areas to safer sites and work on permanent rehabilitation,” he said. He thanked the rescue workers and volunteers who have been working in Irsalwadi where 228 people stayed.
90
Approximate no of survivors
22
No of bodies found so far
1,000
No of people who were part of the rescue op
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