Maharashtra: After Irshalwadi landslide, some 7,000 persons shifted to camps in Raigad

Alibag: Nearly 7,000 persons have been shifted to 51 camps from 103 landslide-prone villages in Maharashtra's Raigad district, the action coming after the Irshalwadi tragedy on July 19 in which 27 persons were killed and 57 are missing, an official said on Thursday. Keeping in mind the 'red alert' for heavy rains issued by the India Meteorological Department over the next three days, a total of 6,968 persons from 2,040 families have been shifted to safety, with 534 persons from 177 families opting to stay with their kin and 6,434 from 1,863 families being lodged in 51 camps, he said.

This includes 128 persons from 31 families in Alibag, which has seen average rainfall of 189.5 mm in the past few days, 285 persons from Pen, where the rainfall figure is 193.4 mm, and 825 persons from 236 families in Khalapur, which has seen 133.4 mm of rain and where the ill-fated Irshalwadi village is located.

The official said 2,810 persons have been shifted in Mahad.


Raigad district received 162.3 mm rain in the last 24 hours, and has got 67 per cent of its annual average rainfall this monsoon, the official informed.

All six rivers in the district, namely Savitri (Mahad), Aamba (Roha), Kudalika (Roha), Patalganga ( Khalapur), Ulhas (Karjat) and Gadhi (Panvel) are, however, flowing below the danger level at present, the deputy irrigation engineer said.

Incidentally, the state government this week sanctioned a sum of Rs 3.95 crore for the rehabilitation of Kernale and Sakhar Sutar Wadi villages in Poladput taluka, two years after landslides killed 11 persons there, a district official said.

In heavy rains in the past couple of months, 56 houses have been destroyed and 336 houses have suffered partial damage in the district, the official informed.