On Wednesday night, a landslide struck Thakurwadi in Irshalgad, Khalapur taluka, resulting in around 25-35 houses being engulfed by mud and stones. The Khalapur area continues to experience heavy rainfall, posing significant challenges for rescue operations by the NDRF and other teams.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Industries Minister Uday Samant, Girish Mahajan, Dada Bhuse, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Ambadas Danve, and Aditi Tatkare have also arrived at Irshalwadi to oversee the situation.
Rescue teams from NDRF, Panvel Municipal Corporation, and CIDCO have been dispatched to Irshalwadi for the rescue efforts. They are being supported by local trekkers' groups, who are offering their assistance during this critical time.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has shared a video after the accident. The party has posted a segment of party president Raj Thackeray's speech from last month on social media. During his visit to Konkan last month, Raj Thackeray had cautioned the administration to remain vigilant as landslides are likely to occur in Konkan during the monsoon.
MNS tweeted that on June 11, 2023, Raj Thackeray had expressed concerns about the likelihood of large-scale landslides in Konkan this year and urged the government and administration to remain vigilant. It is heart-wrenching that on July 20, 2023, during the middle of the night, a landslide occurred at Irshalwadi in Raigad, resulting in the complete destruction of the village and loss of lives.
In his recent speech, Raj Thackeray emphasized the importance of the Maharashtra government taking proactive measures to safeguard the lives of its people during natural disasters. He proposed the rehabilitation of settlements located at the base of hills and the creation of a comprehensive 'rehabilitation plan' in consultation with environmental experts. Additionally, a well-considered strategy should be devised to determine suitable distances for settlements from hills, whether they are existing or newly constructed.