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regular-article-logo Monday, 13 May 2024
Raigad landslide claims 36

Heavy rains batter west coast, several reported dead

36 people killed in landslides at Maharashtra's Raigad

Our Bureau, PTI Mumbai, Panaji, Bangalore Published 23.07.21, 06:23 PM
A view of the inundated areas of Raigad district in Maharashtra on Friday.

A view of the inundated areas of Raigad district in Maharashtra on Friday. File picture

Heavy rainfall battered the west coast on Friday, strongly affecting Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka, with the IMD predicting more showers in the area over the next 24 hours.

In Maharashtra, 36 people died due to landslides near a village in the coastal Raigad district of Maharashtra, police said on Friday. The incident occurred near Talai village in Mahad tehsil on Thursday evening, they said. Around 30 houses were also damaged.

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The search and rescue operation is on by the NDRF teams, personnel of the local disaster management cell, police and district administration.

In Mumbai, four people died when a building and seven others suffered injuries after a single-storey house collapsed in Shivaji Nagar area of Govandi in eastern Mumbai early on Friday, a civic official said.

The incident occurred at plot number 3 near Bombay City Hospital around 5 am, he said.

"On being alerted about it, seven fire engines, one rescue van of the fire brigade, and personnel of the police as well as other agencies reached the spot and launched a search and rescue operation," the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official said.

So far, four persons have lost their lives in the incident and seven others were injured, he said.

A fire brigade official said that 15 people have been pulled out of the debris so far and the operation is still underway.

Karnataka battered by heavy rains

Heavy rains in various parts of Karnataka over the past 24 hours have claimed three lives, led to landslides in eight places and evacuation of about 9,000 people, while the government has sounded a red alert in seven districts.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who reviewed the flood situation with top officials on Friday, directed all district in charge ministers and MLAs to oversee relief work in their areas.

He said the government would extend all necessary support to relief and rescue efforts and assist farmers who suffered losses due to the untimely rain and hailstorms.

Dr Manoj Rajan, Commissioner, Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority said parts of Belagavi, Chikkamagaluru, Dharward, Haveri, Shivamogga and Uttara Kannada are facing the brunt of floods due to incessant rains over the past few days.

The rivers Krishna, Cauvery, Tungabhadra, Bhima, Kapila (Kabini) and many others in Malnad and coastal Karnataka are in spate, said the KSDMA officer.

Details shared by him showed that 131 villages in 18 Taluks are badly hit, affecting 16,213 people.

While three people lost their lives, two are missing.

The rains damaged 21 houses completely and 804 houses partially.

Sixty five bridges, 10 schools and a primary health centre were damaged, while 291.03 km of roads were washed away.

So far, 8,733 people have been evacuated to safety.

The state has opened 80 relief camps where 4,964 people are staying.

Landslides were reported in eight places, including Virajpet in Kodagu district and Arabail Ghat in Uttara Kannada district.

A red alert has been sounded in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan and Kodagu districts for the next 24 hours in view of a possible heavy to extremely heavy rainfall and an orange alert, in Belagavi and Dharwad, the officer said.

The rains have also led to filling up of most of the reservoirs in Karnataka, including Almatti, Bhadra, KRS, Kabini, Harangi, Hemavathi, Narayanapura, Malaprabha and Ghataprabha, he said.

Flood-like situation in Goa

Several parts of Goa, including Sattari and Bicholim tehsils in north and Dharbandora in south, are reeling under a flood-like situation, where a large number of houses got inundated as the water level of some rivers rose following heavy rains over the past few days, officials said on Friday.

However, no loss of human life has been reported so far due to it, they said.

At least 100 houses in Sattari tehsil have been under water since Thursday night as the water level of the Mahadayi river increased due to incessant rains that has been lashing the state since over a week now, a senior official said.

There were no fatalities, but flood-like situation exists. Those people whose houses have gone completely under water have shifted to safer places on their own, he said.

Almost half of Velus village located near Valpoi town in Sattari, is inundated, while several other villages were cut off as roads and culverts are under water, eyewitnesses said.

Valpoi MLA and state minister Vishwajit Rane said on Twitter, Due to continuous and heavy rainfall, Mhadei (Mahadayi) has been overflowing. Water has entered different parts of Valpoi. Necessary directions have been issued to the collectors to have the Disaster Management team stationed at Sattari & Usgao.

Water has entered their houses causing a lot of damage. It is very important for us to ensure our people's safety. With the intervention of the Disaster Management Team, they will be shifted to safer locations, he added.

Near Sankhalim town in Bicholim tehsil, Valvanti and Sakhali rivers are overflowing and have crossed the danger level, officials said.

People residing in and around Harvalem village in Bicholim have been asked to be on alert as flood-like situation prevails there, they added.

Similar situation is seen in and around Mollem village in South Goa's Dharbandora tehsil.

Official sources said that Sangod village in Mollem is facing a flood-like situation, where water has entered to the houses and roads are flooded.

Modi condoles Maharashtra deaths

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday condoled the loss of lives in a landslide in Maharashtra's coastal Raigad district and announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased.

Modi said the situation in Maharashtra due to heavy rains is being closely monitored and assistance is being provided to the affected.

Thirty-six people were killed in a landslide near a village in coastal Raigad district of Maharashtra, police said on Friday. The incident occurred near Talai village in Mahad tehsil on Thursday evening.

"Anguished by the loss of lives due to a landslide in Raigad, Maharashtra. My condolences to the bereaved families. I wish the injured a speedy recovery. The situation in Maharashtra due to heavy rains is being closely monitored and assistance is being provided to the affected," the prime minister said.

Prime Minisgter Modi has announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to a landslide in Raigad, Maharashtra, according to a tweet by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

The PMO said Rs 50,000 would be given to the injured.

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