2014 Malin landslide
{{Short description|Natural disaster in Pune, Maharashtra, India}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox event
| title = 2014 Malin landslide
| image = File:India Maharashtra locator map.svg
| image_size = 350
| caption = Location of Maharashtra in India
| date = 30 July 2014
| map =
| time =
| place = Malin, Ambegaon taluka, Pune District, Maharashtra, India
| coordinates = {{coord|19|9|40|N|73|41|18|E|region:IN_type:event|display=inline,title}}
| also known as =
| cause = Landslide due to heavy rain
| first reporter =
| filmed by =
| outcome =
| reported deaths = 151
| reported injuries =
| reported missing =
| burial =
| inquiries =
| inquest =
| arrests =
| url =
| website =
| notes =
}}
{{Location map |India Maharashtra|label = Malin |position = right |lat = 19.161111|long = 73.688333|caption = Location of Malin in Maharashtra state. |float = right|width = 225|border=yes}}
On 30 July 2014, a landslide occurred in the village of Malin in the Ambegaon taluka of the Pune district in Maharashtra, India. The landslide, which hit early in the morning while residents were asleep,{{cite web |date=30 July 2014 |title=Indian landslide: more than dozens trapped in Pune village of Malin |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-28559617 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240730004900/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-28559617 |archive-date=30 July 2024 |accessdate=30 July 2014 |work=BBC News}} was believed to have been caused by a burst of heavy rainfall, and killed at least 151 people.{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/four-years-and-many-surveys-later-disaster-prevention-work-yet-to-begin-in-20-landslide-prone-villages-5483994/|title=Four years and many surveys later, disaster prevention work yet to begin in 20 'landslide-prone' villages|last=Rashid|first=Atikh|date=2018-12-08|website=The Indian Express|language=en-IN|access-date=2019-07-28|archive-date=20 August 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240820014333/https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/four-years-and-many-surveys-later-disaster-prevention-work-yet-to-begin-in-20-landslide-prone-villages-5483994/|url-status=live}} Rains continued after the landslide making rescue efforts difficult.
Cause
The landslides were caused after heavy rainfall that had begun the previous day, with the village receiving {{convert|108|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} of rain on 29 July and continuing throughout the following day. The environmental destruction that resulted in the landslide is believed to have had many causes. The major cause was the negligence of geological facts before any developmental process. Another cause cited as contributing to the landslide was deforestation in the area. Deforestation removes not only trees but also root structures that hold together the soil.{{Citation needed|date=December 2019|reason=removed citation to predatory publisher content}} Through deforestation, the soil of the surrounding land was made loose, and experts argue that deforestation was the primary undelaying anthropogenic cause of the landslide.{{Cite web
| url = http://www.firstpost.com/india/truth-behind-pune-village-landslide-deforestation-for-a-govt-scheme-1642715.html
| title = The real reason for Pune village landslide: Forest was cleared for a govt scheme
| website = Firstpost
| date = August 2014
| language = en-US
| access-date = 2016-03-01
| archive-date = 20 June 2017
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170620113603/http://www.firstpost.com/india/truth-behind-pune-village-landslide-deforestation-for-a-govt-scheme-1642715.html
| url-status = live
}} One additional reason was changing agricultural practices{{spaced ndash}} villagers had recently shifted from cultivation of rice and finger millet to wheat, which required leveling of steep areas, which contributed to the instability of the hills. Also, the construction of the nearby Dimbhe Dam ten years ago was considered as a possible reason. The instability of the hillsides was due to the construction activities, which are often done without careful analysis of environmental consequences.{{cite news|last1=Mazoomdaar|first1=Jay|title=Is India's construction boom behind Pune village landslide?|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-28579668?ocid=socialflow_twitter|accessdate=1 August 2014|agency=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=31 July 2014}} Stone quarrying, among other types of construction, was specifically blamed by Sumaira Abdulali of the Awaaz Foundation, for the instability of the hillside.{{cite news|title=Indian media: Deforestation behind deadly Pune landslide|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-28578939|accessdate=1 August 2014|agency=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=31 July 2014|archive-date=1 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140801060316/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-28578939|url-status=live}}
Casualties
Although initial reports stated that the landslide had killed 17 people, officials expected the death toll to exceed 150.{{cite web | url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/landslide-kills-17-in-indian-village/story-fn3dxix6-1227007989186 | title=Landslide kills 17 in Indian village | work=The Australian | date=30 July 2014 | accessdate=30 July 2014 | author=AAP}} As of 4 August 2014, the death toll had reached 134. The bodies so far recovered were of 50 men, 64 women and 20 children.{{cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/malin-day-6-body-count-reaches-134/|title=Malin, Day 6: Body count reaches 134|date=5 August 2014|work=The Indian Express|access-date=5 August 2014|archive-date=5 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140805084900/http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/malin-day-6-body-count-reaches-134/|url-status=live}} About 44 to 46 separate houses were believed to have been buried in the landslide.{{cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/landslide-in-pune-village-over-100-trapped/|title=Major landslide hits Pune village; at least 17 dead, over 160 feared trapped|date=30 July 2014|work=The Indian Express|accessdate=30 July 2014|archive-date=30 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140730110407/http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/landslide-in-pune-village-over-100-trapped/|url-status=live}}
Management
The landslide was first noticed by a bus driver who drove by the area and saw that the village had been overrun with mud and earth.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-28578864|title=India landslide: Rescuers race to find survivors in Pune village as toll rises|date=31 July 2014|work=BBC News India|accessdate=31 July 2014|archive-date=31 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140731165636/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-28578864|url-status=live}} Emergency services, including 378 personnel of the National Disaster Response Force, were mobilized to the area, and 8 victims had been rescued from the landslide prior to the evening of 30 July.{{cite web | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/17-dead-158-feared-trapped-in-landslide-near-Pune-rescue-operations-on/articleshow/39307767.cms | title=17 dead, 158 feared trapped in landslide near Pune, rescue operations on | work=The Times of India | date=30 July 2014 | accessdate=30 July 2014 | author=Jain, Bharti | archive-date=30 July 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140730182920/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/17-dead-158-feared-trapped-in-landslide-near-Pune-rescue-operations-on/articleshow/39307767.cms | url-status=live }} Nevertheless, rescue efforts had been hampered by poor road conditions and continuing rains.{{cite web | url=https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2014/07/30/landslide-hits-indian-village-150-may-be-trapped | title=Rain-triggered landslide buries homes in remote Indian village, killing at least 17 | work=U.S. News & World Report | date=30 July 2014 | accessdate=30 July 2014 | author=AP | author-link=Associated Press }} Authorities have also expressed pessimism about the possibility of recovering any of the trapped people alive. As of 31 July, 22 people had been rescued alive from the landslide.{{cite web | url=https://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2014/07/31/pune-landslide-survivor-fears-family-is-buried-under-a-mass-of-mud/ | title=Pune Landslide Survivor Fears Family is Buried Under a Mass of Mud | work=The Wall Street Journal | date=31 July 2014 | accessdate=31 July 2014 | author=Acharya, Nupur | archive-date=10 August 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810201452/http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2014/07/31/pune-landslide-survivor-fears-family-is-buried-under-a-mass-of-mud/ | url-status=live }} On 4 August, the survivors of the landslide were ordered by the district administration to move out of Malin.{{cite web | url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/malin-no-longer-safe-to-live-in-landslide-survivors-move-out/article1-1248190.aspx | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140804221307/http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/malin-no-longer-safe-to-live-in-landslide-survivors-move-out/article1-1248190.aspx | url-status=dead | archive-date=4 August 2014 | title=Malin landslide survivors asked to relocate | work=Hindustan Times | date=4 August 2014 | accessdate=4 August 2014 | author=Joshi, Yogesh}} Apart from the Security Forces, members of voluntary organizations and locals also helped in rescue operations. On 7 August, rescue operations officially drew to a close, with the final death toll resting at 151.{{cite web |author=Banerjee, Shoumojit |date=7 August 2014 |title=Malin landslide: Rescue operations draw to a close |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/malin-landslide-rescue-operations-draw-to-a-close/article6291570.ece |accessdate=10 August 2014 |work=The Hindu |archive-date=7 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200907160637/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/malin-landslide-rescue-operations-draw-to-a-close/article6291570.ece |url-status=live }}
Reactions of malin
- Office of Prime Minister of India released a statement in response to the landslide, in which they "condoled the loss of lives in the landslide and directed all possible efforts to help the affected people."{{cite web |date=30 July 2014 |title=PM Narendra Modi directs Rajnath Singh to rush to landslide-hit spot in Pune |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/pm-narendra-modi-directs-rajnath-singh-to-rush-to-landslide-hit-spot-in-pune/articleshow/39305788.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230828005720/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/pm-narendra-modi-directs-rajnath-singh-to-rush-to-landslide-hit-spot-in-pune/articleshow/39305788.cms |archive-date=28 August 2023 |accessdate=30 July 2014 |work=The Economic Times |agency=Press Trust of India}}
- Chief of the Nationalist Congress Party, Sharad Pawar, dubbed the landslide "unfortunate", and tweeted that "We have many villages located beneath hillocks. This incident has alarmed us to rethink about such villages."{{cite web | url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-pune-landslide-sharad-pawar-terms-incident-unfortunate-2006732 | title=Pune landslide: Sharad Pawar terms incident 'unfortunate' | work=DNA India | date=30 July 2014 | accessdate=30 July 2014}}
- The CPIM demanded a "time bound enquiry into the true causes of this disaster".{{cite web | url=http://cpim.org/content/malin-disaster | title=Malin Disaster | publisher=The Politburo of CPIM | date=31 July 2014 | accessdate=2 August 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808053755/http://cpim.org/content/malin-disaster | archive-date=8 August 2014 | url-status=dead }}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Natural disasters in India}}
{{Disasters in India in 2014}}
Category:2014 disasters in India