2023 Raigad landslide

2023 Raigad landslide
Date19 July 2023; 17 months ago (2023-07-19)
LocationRaigad district, Maharashtra, India
Deaths26 (reported as of 22 July 2023, 16:00 IST)
Missing109

On 19 July 2023 at approximately 22:30 local time,[1] a landslide occurred in Raigad, Maharashtra, India. The landslide was caused by torrential rains, and resulted in at least 26 deaths,[2] with more than 100 estimated trapped under debris.[3][4][5][6][7]

Preceding days

In the days leading up to the landslide, India experienced significant rains, with the Yamuna river at its highest level in 45 years.[8] The region where the landslide occurred had been under an "orange" alert over the two days before the event.[4]

Landslide

The landslide occurred 9:30 on 19 July 2023, in the remote mountain hamlet of Irshalwadi, approximately 60 kilometres (37 mi) from Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra. The village resides close to Irshalgad fort, which is a popular weekend trekking spot. The majority of the villagers are from the Thakur Adivasi community and have been residing in this region for many generations.[9] Over 98 people were rescued, and 26 bodies had been recovered.[2] Nine members of a family died.[10] Maharashtra's deputy chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis, told the state assembly that an estimated 225 people lived in the hamlet.[3][11]

Debris was, in some places, 10–29 feet (3.0–8.8 m) deep.[3] At least 109 people were left missing under the debris.[12][13] Seventeen out of 50 houses in the hamlet were damaged.[1]

Response

The National Disaster Response Force, police and medical teams were involved in relief efforts, which resumed on the morning of 21 July 2023 after being halted on late 20 July 2023 due to heavy rainfall.[1] Excavators were airlifted to the site, and rescuers had to travel 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the nearest highway to reach the site.[14]

Eknath Shinde, the chief minister of Maharashtra, announced 500,000 Indian rupees in compensation for the families of the deceased.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Maharashtra: Sixteen dead, dozens trapped in deadly India landslide". BBC News. 2023-07-21. Archived from the original on 2023-07-21. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
  2. ^ a b "Raigad landslide July 20 updates : Rescue operations called off for the day; NDRF confirms 16 deaths". The Hindu. 20 July 2023. Archived from the original on 21 July 2023. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  3. ^ a b c Mascarenhas, Francis; Jamkhandikar, Shilpa (2023-07-20). "Ten dead, more than a 100 feared trapped in landslide in India after heavy rain". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2023-07-20. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
  4. ^ a b "India: Deadly landslide traps several under debris – DW – 07/20/2023". dw.com. Archived from the original on 2023-07-21. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
  5. ^ "Landslide in Maharashtra's Raigad, 22 people rescued, many feared trapped". The Times of India. 2023-07-20. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 2023-07-21. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
  6. ^ "India: Five dead, some trapped, in landslide in Maharashtra after heavy rain". WION. Archived from the original on 2023-07-21. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
  7. ^ "At least 10 people killed, some 100 feared trapped after landslide in India". France 24. 2023-07-20. Archived from the original on 2023-07-21. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
  8. ^ "Delhi races to drain floodwaters with more rain expected – DW – 07/14/2023". dw.com. Archived from the original on 2023-07-21. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
  9. ^ Express News Service (20 July 2023). "At least 16 dead, over 100 feared trapped as landslide buries Maharashtra village". Indian Express. Archived from the original on 21 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  10. ^ Raigad landslide | Death toll rises to 25; 83 persons yet to be traced Archived 2023-07-22 at the Wayback Machine, The Hindu
  11. ^ Mascarenhas, Francis; Jamkhandikar, Shilpa (2023-07-20). "Indian landslide kills 16, rescue operations paused". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2023-07-20. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
  12. ^ "More than a 100 feared trapped in landslide in India". Yahoo News. 2023-07-20. Archived from the original on 2023-07-21. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
  13. ^ "5 killed, 100 feared trapped in landslide in India | Sada Elbalad". see.news. Archived from the original on 2023-07-21. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
  14. ^ Yasir, Sameer; Kumar, Hari (2023-07-20). "Landslide Kills at Least 10 in Western India". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2023-07-21. Retrieved 2023-07-21.