Advertisement
The Gulf conflict has disrupted global supply chains, pushed...
REITs have changed the way commercial real estate is owned a...
What does it take to preserve a real estate legacy while bui...
What really powers the cloud? Behind every Google search, A...
A lot of what defines a home isn’t visible at handover. I...
A landslide struck Ashok Nagar in Ghatkopar, Mumbai, early on August 12 after heavy rainfall, with debris and boulders crashing onto rooms in a densely populated chawl. The incident left seven people dead and seven injured, according to officials. Rescue operations were carried out by the Mumbai Fire Brigade, NDRF, police and civic teams, with narrow access lanes making the search difficult. Firefighters and NDRF personnel formed human chains to manually remove debris and search for victims. The incident has again highlighted the risks faced by residents living in landslide-prone areas during Mumbai's monsoon.
A landslide in Ashok Nagar, Ghatkopar, in the early hours of Wednesday left seven people dead and seven injured after mud, rocks and debris from a hillside crashed into rooms of a chawl, according to officials. The incident occurred at around 3:48 am amid heavy rainfall in Mumbai.
The falling debris struck two to three rooms of the residential settlement, trapping people inside. The incident prompted an immediate search-and-rescue operation involving the Mumbai Fire Brigade, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police and civic authorities.
Rescue personnel faced difficulties because of the narrow lanes leading to the affected area, which restricted the movement of equipment and machinery. Firefighters and NDRF personnel therefore resorted to manually clearing debris in parts of the site, forming human chains to pass material away from the affected structures while continuing the search for victims.
The landslide occurred in an area identified as vulnerable to such incidents. Continuous rainfall had saturated the hillside before the collapse, sending debris and boulders towards the residential structures. A large peepal tree was also uprooted during the incident, adding to the debris at the site.
The seven fatalities included children and teenagers, according to officials. Several injured residents were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment, with some reported to be in stable condition.
The rescue operation continued as teams searched the debris for any remaining victims. The use of manual clearing methods reflected the difficult conditions at the site, where the closely packed structures and restricted access made conventional rescue operations more challenging.
The incident came as Mumbai experienced intense monsoon rainfall, which has increased the risk of landslides and other rain-related emergencies in vulnerable parts of the city. Authorities have repeatedly urged residents in areas considered unsafe during heavy rainfall to exercise caution.
The Ghatkopar incident has also renewed attention on the vulnerability of densely populated settlements located close to hillsides and other landslide-prone terrain. For emergency agencies, the incident highlighted the importance of rapid access, coordinated response and safe evacuation in areas exposed to slope failures.
As rescue teams continued their work, the focus remained on completing the search, treating the injured and accounting for everyone who may have been affected by the landslide.
Advertisement
Facebook
Whatsapp
