Ghatkopar Landslide Death Toll Rises to Eight as Final Victim Recovered
The death toll from the landslide at Ashok Nagar, Hill No. 3, in Ghatkopar rose to eight on Thursday, August 13, 2026, following the recovery of 28-year-old Saddam Wazir Ali Khan from the debris. Khan had spent 32 hours trapped beneath a massive boulder before rescuers managed to pull him out and transport him to Rajawadi Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead. Following the recovery, authorities officially called off the search-and-rescue operation at the site.
The rescue effort originally began at 5 a.m. on Wednesday immediately after the landslide hit the settlement. Operations resumed on Thursday morning amid fears that an additional victim remained buried beneath the rubble. However, a Mumbai Fire Brigade official noted that personnel encountered significant obstacles throughout the drive due to the dense population, mountainous landscape, and confined terrain of the area.
Rescuers reported that unstable ground surrounding the chawl created dangerous conditions after the initial crash. Narrow access lanes significantly restricted movement into the site, while massive boulders had piled directly on top of rocks that had already smashed into the residential structures, further complicating the extraction efforts.
Because the narrow and steep mountainous terrain completely prevented the deployment of heavy machinery, emergency teams had to rely entirely on manual labor. Workers utilized hammers and other hand tools for nearly 32 hours to painstakingly break apart and clear the rubble blocking their path to Khan.
Rescuers finally reached Khan, extracted him from under the debris, and rushed him to Rajawadi Hospital at approximately 1 p.m. on Thursday, where medical staff declared him brought dead. Officials identified Khan as a friend of Viket Yadav, whose body was recovered by rescue crews on Wednesday. The two men had gathered at the location to celebrate Yadav's birthday when the landslide struck the hill and overwhelmed the settlement.
