Raigad: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) continued its search and rescue operations at the landslide-hit Irshalgad in Raigad on Saturday. Till now, 22 dead bodies have been recovered from the site, officials said.
NDRF continues a search and rescue operation with a canine squad at the landslide-hit area.
The death count till Thursday evening was 16, which went up to 22 on Friday as six more bodies were recovered. The dead included nine men, as many women and four children. Nine members of a family perished in the disaster, officials have said.
“The search and rescue operation by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other government agencies resumed for the third day on Saturday morning,” a police official said.
The search operation was suspended around 6 pm on Friday due to heavy rains, an NDRF official said.
At least 17 of 48 houses in the village, located on a hill slope, were fully or partially buried under the landslide debris. As per the Raigad district disaster management office, of 229 village residents, 22 were dead, 10 were injured, 111 were safe and 86 persons were yet to be traced.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the site of the tragedy on Thursday and took stock of the relief and rescue efforts.
He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the families of the deceased, said officials.
The Raigad Police set up a control room after the incident.
The police said that they have rescued 22 people from the spot but many are feared trapped in the debris.
“We will get a better idea of the situation when daylight comes. Presently over 100 people from Police and district administration are involved in the rescue operation and we are getting help from NDRF, locals and some NGOs too,” the Raigad Police said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Shinde after the incident. Shah said four National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed to execute the rescue operation.
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