Three landslides in 20 years leave residents fearing another disaster

[popcorn number="78" desc="No of people killed by landslide in 2005" class="Default"]

The residents of Khadi No. 3 in Kurla, have witnessed three landslides in 20 years, which are an unforgettable memory for most locals. “We will never forget the incident from July 12 2005, when the same hillside collapsed after rains which seemed never-ending,” said an elderly lady of the area, who claims that at the time of the first disaster in 2005, she assisted first responders to pull people out. It may be noted that BMC’s Disaster Management Department has classified the incident as a landslide.

Worst hit in 2005

Many who live in the area have witnessed all three landslides — the first in 2005, considered the most devastating; a smaller one in 2010; and the landslide on Wednesday. “The first one in 2005 happened during the afternoon, and everyone was home because of the rain. When the second one happened in 2010, no one lost their lives, but this year has come as a surprise to us,” the woman said.

Haunting memories

An elderly lady in area ‘I was home at the time of the 2005 incident, and a friend had come. She was complaining of a splitting headache, and asked me to make some tea for her. I made it for her, and we sat and talked for a while. While leaving, she said would go home and sleep peacefully to get rid of the headache. That was the last I spoke to her.’

Locals to the rescue

According to the elderly lady, she rushed to her friend’s house when news of the hillside giving way broke out. “Others in the area had already started clearing out the rubble, so I dove in to do the same.  Once the firefighters came, we all stayed and helped. They gave me their gumboots to wear so that I wouldn’t get hurt. We lost dozens of our friends and neighbours that day, and realised the cruelty of Mother Nature. One of the last bodies to come out of the rubble was that of my friend, and all I hope is that she was too deep in sleep that day to have felt any pain when the hill came down on her,” she said.

‘Immune to fear’

Pratap Kanojiya, who helped clear debris after Wednesday’s landslide
‘Everyone living in the area has grown immune to the fear of landslides. Many who live too close to the hill have been given notices, and none have paid attention to them. Rather, there is only a gap of an inch or two between their houses and the hill, so when a disaster like this happens, I don’t know how to even react anymore’

Loss of lives

This reporter couldn’t find any information on how many people got injured in the 2010 landslide, but for the July 2005 landslide, the official number of deaths declared stood at 78, with seven injured people being rescued. 

* This article was originally published here