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At least 26 killed as Indian landslide death toll rises, dozens trapped

  • At least 26 people were killed and about 80 are believed to be still missing on Saturday after a landslide on Thursday in Irshalwadi, about 60km from Mumbai
  • ‘We cannot judge as of now how many people are still stuck’, rescuers said as more bodies were pulled out from underneath the mud on Saturday

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A woman sobs after a landslide in India washed away houses and trapped people under piles of debris. Photo: AP

The death toll from a landslide in India’s Western state of Maharashtra rose to 26 on Saturday, a disaster relief official said, with dozens still feared trapped under layers of mud and slush two days after the incident.

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The landslide occurred on Thursday night in the remote mountain hamlet of Irshalwadi, about 60 kilometres from Mumbai, flattening several houses.

The hamlet is estimated to have been home to at least 225 people, more than 80 of whom managed to escape.

The Times of India newspaper reported on Saturday that around 80 people were still missing.

“We are working on our technical equipment, our rescue techniques,” SB Singh, an official with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), said.

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