Raigad: The death toll in the hillslide tragedy at Irshalwadi in Maharashtra’s Raigad district climbed to 27 with the rescue teams recovering six more bodies on Saturday, the State Disaster Management Authority officials said here.
With another 100-odd still buried under the boulders and sludge, hopes continued to dim for the prospects of any more survivors in the tragedy that took place on Wednesday night.
The teams comprising SDRF, NDRF, local volunteers and others have been carrying out daytime rescue operations in the remote hills, hampered by lack of sophisticated equipment.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had informed the Assembly on Friday that despite the availability of all types of heavy equipment, these cannot be deployed owing to the treacherous hilly terrain and lack of approach roads to the disaster site.
The district authorities, police and security forces are under further strain with scores of VIPs landing here at regular intervals, and over 15,000 people trooping here from different parts for a veritable ‘disaster tourism’.
The local administration has now banned entry of all unauthorised persons beyond Khalapur to ensure that relief works and rescue efforts are not hampered by the gawkers crowding the narrow paths to Irshalwadi.
For the third day, the rescue operations continued to be dogged by intermittent heavy showers that created more muck and sludge and slowed down the laborious digging works.
Around 100 survivors, who escaped the bombardment of Wednesday on their dwellings and were evacuated, are temporarily housed at the Panchayatan Temple complex nearby with lodging-boarding arrangements made by the district authorities.
Former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray visited them on Saturday and assured all help for their relief and rehabilitation, and urged the government to set up houses for them under the Prime Minister Awas Yojana at a safer location.
Meanwhile, veteran playback singer Anuradha Paudwal has announced that she will help construct homes for the survivors through her Suryoday Foundation, as per the government policy.
In a noble gesture, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has offered to adopt all the minor orphans aged 2-14 who have lost their parents or families through his son’s NGO, ‘Dr. Shrikant Shinde Foundation’.
The rescue teams are expected to return to Irshalwadi on Sunday morning for the next phase of the mission, as more rains are forecast.
–IANS