Male Sutarwadi Residents Evacuated After Two-Kilometre Crack Opens On Dapoli Hill

Residents of Male Sutarwadi in the Dapoli taluka of Maharashtra's Ratnagiri district were evacuated on Sunday after heavy rainfall triggered nearly two-kilometre-long cracks on a hill, creating a major landslide threat. Local authorities moved the villagers to a safer region as a precautionary measure following the discovery of the deep fissures on the hillside.

Geologists have been deployed to the site in Male Sutarwadi to assess the stability of the hill and determine the extent of the danger. Visuals from the area showed local residents, police officials, and administration authorities inspecting the cracked ground amid adverse weather conditions. The district administration has advised the remaining residents in the vicinity to stay alert and remain safe during such circumstances.

The threat in Dapoli comes amid wider weather-related disruptions across the Ratnagiri district. In the nearby Khed region, a landslide at Raghuveer Ghat blocked traffic between Ratnagiri and Satara districts. The blockage stranded a State Transport (ST) bus carrying students and other passengers for over an hour. Passers-by, including women, were left waiting in the area due to the severe weather.

Additionally, a massive landslide occurred a few days ago near Dhamandevi in the Parshuram Ghat section of the Mumbai-Goa Highway. Large quantities of soil and boulders crashed onto the road, posing a hazard to passers-by and forcing authorities to temporarily close one lane between Dhamandevi and Parshuram Ghat.

The district administration and highway authorities immediately launched a clearance operation using JCB machines to remove the debris and restore normal traffic flow. As the clean-up continued, vehicles were allowed to pass cautiously through the remaining open lane under the supervision of police personnel.

Fortunately, no casualties or injuries have been reported in any of these landslide incidents across the district.