Pune landslide toll 62, hope of finding more survivors fades

MUMBAI: With every passing day, the worst fears in the landslide disaster in Pune’s Malin village are coming true, with the toll rising to 62 on Friday. What’s worse, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) officials hold out very little hope for any more survivors, given the nature of the tragedy.

There are still more than 120 people still trapped under the mud, though one can’t be certain of the exact number, with locals claiming that those trapped could well be over 200. So far, 8 people have been pulled out of the debris alive, while 62 bodies have been recovered.

Rescue workers said that the possibility of locating survivors is extremely remote because of the nature of the tragedy. “Unlike in a building collapse, where people could be trapped under certain crevices and walls and columns, this kind of accident is quite different as the wet mud from the hill has completely washed away everything, making digging a very difficult task,” said an NDRF official.

Meanwhile, NDRF commandant Alok Awasthi said on Friday that clearing the soil from the disaster site will take two more days. NDRF officials said that it is taking long for rescuers to operate the JCB and other equipment for fear of harming any possible survivor trapped beneath the mud.