Several dead including children after severe rains triggers landslide in Maharashtra

Twenty-two people were rescued, but several more are feared trapped in a landslide in Maharashtra’s Raigad district on Thursday, following heavy rains, as per media reports.The incident was reported at Raigad’s Irshalwadi village in Khalapur tehsil, as per the news agency ANI.

Around two dozen persons have been rescued so far while some are still feared trapped. The exact number of people trapped is not yet known. A massive multi-agency search and rescue (S&R) operation is being launched.Over the past 36 hours, the Khalapur area has received over 150-200 mm rainfall. Raigad district administration and police teams have rushed to the spot.Teams of NDRF and SDRF too have been dispatched to the site of the tragedy.Teams from the Maharashtra Mountaineers Rescue Coordination Centre (MMRCC) and local mountaineers too have been sent to the spot.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reviewed the emerging situation.The incident took place around 2230 hrs on Wednesday night. So far 25 persons have been rescued. There are four casualties,” said Samant, who is the guardian minister of Raigad district.Senior officials of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation and Panvel Municipal Corporation too are headed to the site to review the situation.Irshalwadi is located near the Irshalgad Fort and situated off the hill station of Matheran.Waterlogging triggered by heavy rains in the Konkan region has hindered movement and rescue operations. Shinde, who is also expected to visit the site, spoke to Raigad district Collector Dr. Yogesh Patilba Mhase and Superintendent of Police Somnath Gharge. Meanwhile, Thursday (July 20) has been declared a holiday for schools in coastal Konkan districts including Raigad.