Forty-four people have been killed in landslides caused by monsoon rains in western India, authorities said Friday. As many as 38 others were missing after three separate landslides on Thursday evening in Maharashtra state’s Raigad district, south of India’s financial capital Mumbai.
“Forty-two people have died due to landslides in Raigad district and 38 people are still missing,” state government spokesperson Anirudha Ashtaputre told AFP.
“There have been six more landslides in Satara district, where two people have died”, he added.
Elsewhere in the state, up to 15 people were also missing.
The Navy and Air Force joined rescue efforts after the downpour caused floods that left thousands stranded, but their operations were hampered by landslides blocking roads, including the main highway between Mumbai and Goa.
Water levels rose to 3.5 metres (12 feet) in areas of Chiplun, a city 250 kilometres (160 miles) from Mumbai, following 24 hours of uninterrupted rain that caused the Vashishti river to overflow, submerging roads and homes.
Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said emergency workers were struggling to reach cut-off neighbourhoods in Chiplun.
Roads and bridges have been damaged in the floods and the situation is worrying,” Thackeray told reporters.
The Indian Navy deployed seven rescue teams equipped with rubber boats, life jackets and lifebuoys to the affected areas, along with specialist divers and a helicopter to airlift marooned residents.
The Army said 15 teams would be stationed overnight in the worst-hit districts to rescue stranded people and provide first aid.
A landslide in the town of Khed injured 10 people, according to a press release from the state government.
Another “10 to 15 people are likely to be trapped under the rubble,” the statement said.
India’s meteorological department has issued red alerts for several regions in the state, indicating that heavy rainfall will continue for the next few days.
– Frequent danger –
Flooding and landslides are common during India’s treacherous monsoon season between June and September, which also often sees poorly constructed buildings and walls buckling after days of non-stop rain.
Four people died before dawn on Friday when a building collapsed in a slum in Mumbai, authorities said.
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The multi-award winning soapie stars a bevy of South African A-list actors like Mary Anne Barlow, Kgomotso Christopher, Michelle Botes and Siyabonga Thwala. Learn more
Source: capitalfm
