Raigad landslide: Death toll rises to 12; many still trapped

The death toll in the Raigad landslide reached 10 on Thursday afternoon as authorities said relief and rescue work was progressing despite hurdles. The landslide occurred in the tribal village of Irsalvadi near Morbe Dam in Raigad in the early hours of Thursday.

Over 80 people were rescued but many are still trapped underneath the debris. It was estimated that at least 225 people lived in the hamlet, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis told the state assembly. 

The rescue efforts were hampered by heavy rain and fog as workers had to trek with their equipment for almost two hours to reach the landslide site. Officials told reporters that the debris at some of the places is 10 to 29 feet deep. "It is difficult to bring in heavy machinery to this place. It is a 2.8 km trek to reach the spot and we have to remove the debris manually which is likely to take a lot of time," S B Singh, an official with the National Disaster Response Force, told The Indian Express.

Officials added that the difficult terrain of the area was also hindering search efforts. "A small approach road leading to hutments in the area has been slippery due to the rains," the official said, adding heavy machinery like earth movers and excavators cannot be taken there.

Fadnavis said the NDRF personnel and trained trekkers have been deployed. Fadnavis said though two Air Force helicopters were deployed, flights could not be conducted due to bad weather. "A temporary helipad has been set up. 500 employees have been sent through CIDCO. Medical teams are deployed at the spot. The State Control Room is constantly in touch with the local bodies. Efforts are also being made to see if two 'Earth Moving Machines' can be airlifted there," said the latest tweet by the minister.

Irshalwadi is a tribal village inaccessible by pucca road. Chowk Village on Mumbai-Pune Highway is the nearest town. 

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reached the site and spoke to personnel engaged in rescue operations. This village was not on the list of landslide-prone villages, he told reporters there.

"Our priority now is to rescue those still trapped beneath the rubble, he said. Helicopters will be used to send the machinery to the spot for rescue operation," the CM said.

The village has around 50 houses, of which 17 were buried under the landslide. Authorities have set up a control room at the base of Irshalwadi, he said. 

(With inputs from PTI)