Raigad landslide: NDRF halts rescue operations due to heavy rain, to resume in morning

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Thursday evening stopped the rescue and search operation of the landslide that occured in Maharashtra's Raigad district. The incident took place at at Irshalwadi village in Khalapur in Raigad, which is six kilometres away from Chowk village near Morbe dam, the water supplier for Navi Mumbai.

The NDRF said the operations had been halted until Friday morning due to heavy rainfall and the possibility of landslide in the dark. It said, “The rescue operation has been called off with consultation of Local Administration and will resume tomorrow morning.”

A total of 13 dead bodies have been recovered and 21 people have been rescued so far after the landslide took place in the remote village between 10 pm and 11 pm on Wednesday.

Raigad Police Superintendent said, 93 people are said to be alive and several others continue to remain missing.

Four NDRF teams will be resuming the rescue and search operation at 6:30 am on Friday. Other than this, 3 addition SPs, 4 deputy SPs, 15 police officers and 170 men will also be deployed at the rescue site.

Maharashtra minister Tanaji Sawant told reporters, “Two of our teams are deployed there (Raigad). Each team includes four doctors and 15 supporting staff. They are trying their best to help the victims.”

The site where the landslide took place has around 46 houses of a tribal hamlet. Officials said among these, five to six houses were able to escape the damage, and one school was also undamaged.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reached the site on Thursday and spoke to personnel engaged in rescue operations. He also announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh each for the families of the deceased and said that the government will bear the cost of treatment of the injured.

Amid incessant rain in parts of the state, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a “red alert” for Raigad for Thursday and Friday. The district administration has appealed to NGOs to come forward and assist the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in the rescue operation following the landslide incident.

Raigad district collector Yogesh Mhase said on Thursday morning that the incident happened at midnight, and a team comprising a sub-divisional officer and Tahsildar of Khopoli reached the spot where they spotted seven people who managed to recover and flee. “Reaching the location requires a two-hour climb, which poses a significant challenge for us,” said Mhase.