Pune landslide: Toll rises to 51, fading hope of survivors

PTI

Pune, Aug 1, 2014 : The death toll in the Malin village landslide disaster has climbed to 51 with recovery of ten more bodies since last night, district control room said today.

 

The deceased included 22 women, 23 men and six children, an official at the control room said.

 

 

So far, eight injured persons have been rescued and they were being treated at nearby hospitals, he said.

 

Rescuers comprising over 300 personnel of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) continued to look for survivors under the huge mound of debris as signs of life slowly dimmed 48 hours after the village in Ambegaon taluka was flattened in the fury of nature.

 

Intermittent rains and the difficult hilly terrain made the rescue and relief operation difficult as NDRF jawans moved JCBs and dumpers cautiously to ensure safety of prospective survivors under mud and stone debris of the hill that caved-in on Wednesday morning.

 

As many as 44 houses were crushed under the rubble in the mishap trapping about 160 residents of the village.

 

A mass cremation of several victims was performed yesterday at the village by their grieving relatives.

 

Maharashtra Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Patangrao Kadam is expected to hold a meeting of district officials to chalk out a plan for rehabilitation of the affected population of Malin today.

 

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had yesterday visited Malin village, the scene of the tragedy over 100 kms from here, and announced an assistance of Rs two lakh to the next of kin of each of the deceased from PM Relief Fund.