7 Dead and 7 Injured as Landslide Destroys Homes in Kurla West's Chirag Nagar
Seven people died and seven others were injured after a landslide struck an unauthorised hill slope settlement in Chirag Nagar, Kurla West, around 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Heavy rain triggered the collapse, causing an uprooted peepal tree, mud, and debris to crash down the hillside, destroying four slum homes and damaging three others.
The deceased include four members of a single family: Arif Shaikh (28), his wife Marjina Arif Shaikh (27), and their two children, Manat Arif Shaikh (4) and Aban Arif Shaikh (2). The other victims were identified as Mohamad Samir Ansari (16), Sahil Husen Abdul Kazi (19), and Viket Ramesh Yadav (27). They were brought dead to Rajawadi Hospital.
Seven residents sustained injuries in the collapse. Four of the injured—Sohel Ansari (18), Mohamad Ansari (14), Naimuddim Khan (28), and Sajid Ansari (16)—were admitted to Bhabha Hospital in Kurla. Three others, Farana Dilber Khan (28), Dilber Amnulla Khan (38), and Shamin Muslim Khan (26), were admitted to Rajawadi Hospital.
Rescue operations faced significant obstacles due to the narrow lanes in the Chirag Nagar neighbourhood. Chief Fire Officer Ravindra Ambulgekar stated that fire personnel had to carry out rescue work manually despite having the necessary equipment available. Nearby residents and first responders assisted in clearing soil and rubble by hand after hearing cries from people trapped beneath collapsed roofs.
Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide and civic officials noted that the structures were built on government land without authorization. Civic officials stated that routine pre-monsoon warnings regarding life risks had been issued to the settlement. However, local residents and family members explained that families remained on the hillside because they could not afford to move elsewhere.
Mayor Ritu Tawde announced financial assistance of ₹4 lakh for the families of each deceased victim and medical aid of up to ₹50,000 for each injured person. Local corporator Vijayendra Shinde called for long-term solutions, demanding that the surviving families be accommodated under the Project Affected Persons (PAP) rehabilitation framework.
