Rescue operation underway after a landslide struck Gaushiya Chawl, killing six people and injuring four others, in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar area. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

At least seven people died, and several others were injured after a landslip struck Mumbai’s Ghatkopar area in the early hours of Wednesday (August 12, 2026) following heavy rains. Rescue operations are underway to trace one person believed to be trapped under debris.

Mumbai’s civic body, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), reported it as a Level-II incident — a serious incident requiring additional resources and coordination beyond the immediate ward — that occurred at 3:48 a.m. at Gaushiya Chawl in Chirag Nagar of Ghatkopar West. The soil and debris from the hillside collapsed onto two to three houses nearby, according to BMC Mayor Ritu Tawde, who visited the site to inspect operations.

Locals described being jolted awake by a loud noise from the collapse and running from their homes. One of the residents, Shaira Bhanu, was also affected by the landslip. A tree fell on her house, with her child getting trapped under the water tank installed on her house. “As the portion of the house collapsed, we quickly removed the water tank and then ran out of the house to safety. If they had worked a bit faster, more lives would have been saved,” she added.

“As we heard the noise, we did not think about anything; we just ran out of the house. A tree fell on top of a house in an adjacent lane to where the landslip hit. We were awake the entire night and couldn’t sleep because of the shock,” said Mohammed Aman, who lived near the site of the landslip.

Ms. Tawde on Wednesday (August 12) inspected the rescue operations, announcing ₹4 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased person and ₹50,000 assistance for each injured person. “The authorities had made every possible effort to rescue people trapped under the debris,” the mayor said.

Rescue operation

Police reached the spot at 4 a.m. and asked residents in the vicinity to move out, a resident of Gaushiya chawl who also helped authorities in rescue operations, informed The Hindu.

On the ground, two divisional fire officers (DFO), an assistant divisional fire officer (ADFO), two senior station officers (SrSO), four station officers, four fire engines, two fire tenders, two rescue vehicles, two mobile water tankers, and one water quick response vehicle have joined the rescue operation.

One person remained trapped under the debris, Deputy Chief Fire Brigade officer K.R. Yadav said, as the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), along with around 50 BMC personnel, continued rescue efforts.

“The site of the incident and the route leading to it are extremely narrow, allowing only one person to pass at a time. BMC officers, employees and workers, along with the Mumbai Fire Brigade, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Mumbai Police, are making every possible effort to rescue people trapped under the debris,” Ms. Tawde said.

Seven dead

All the deceased were taken to Rajawadi hospital, where Chief Medical Officer Vishal declared seven people were brought dead and three others were injured. The four injured people were taken to Kurla Bhabha Hospital.

The deceased are identified as Mohamad Samir Ansari (14), Sahil Husen Abdul Kazi (19), an unidentified person (45), Aban Arif Shaikh (2), Manat Arif Shaikh (4), Marjina Arif Shaikh (27) and Viket Ramesh Yadav (27).

The injured at Rajawadi Hospital are identified as Farana Dilber Khan (28), Dilber Amnulla Khan (38), and Shamin Muslim Khan (26).

Kurla Bhabha Hospital received four injured persons — Sohel Ansari (18), who sustained a head injury; Mohamad Ansari (14), Naimuddhin Eqbal Khan (28) and Sajid Ansari (16).

A family of four members, who died in the landslip, had just shifted to the chawl from Uttar Pradesh a few days ago, Mumbai Police said.

Notice sent

BMC had alerted residents and advised them not to stay in areas that are at risk of landslips or rockfalls and to evacuate from such locations. In particular, a notice was also issued as part of pre-monsoon precautionary measures. At Hill No. 3, Ashok Nagar, Kurla, the municipal administration had warned residents about the risks and conducted awareness campaigns in this regard.

“The BMC had already given notice, warning them to clear the area within 15 days. The owners of the house should be responsible for warning their tenants and heeding our warning. Our priority is to make the path clear for the rescue and relief work,” Sandhya Doshi, BMC corporator from Shiv Sena, said.

Guru Prasad Gupta, who stood for election in Ward 160 from Narayannagar, said: “I don’t know whether a notice was sent or not, but I have one request to the government. If people are living on a hill and there are chances of landslips, the government should take steps to move them out. Otherwise, this situation will repeat every year. The government should conduct a survey, find this out, and shift them out via the Slum Rehabilitation Authority, or put a blockade there to avoid such incidents in Mumbai again because they have lived there for the last 30-40 years.”

More houses on the verge of collapse

Some of the residents, including Sheikh Shahid, moved out of the house, grabbing important documents with them. “The houses are now tilted at an angle that they can fall at any moment. Even now, our doors are locked, and we can’t take anything out of the house. Five houses in this lane are broken down. They won’t cut down the tree now, or there will be more damage,” said Shahid.

Rashid Shah, who lives in the chawl, said: “I live in the first house in the chawl. If it keeps raining like this, I will have to also consider moving out before another landslip reaches my house.”

Sion slab collapse incident

In another incident during the day, a structure had collapsed in Mumbai’s Sion East area, where five persons were trapped but rescued after an hour-long operation.

The incident occurred at 4:48 p.m. at Mala Garden in Pratiksha Nagar of Sion, where a gazebo (seating arrangement structure) with a cement slab roof fell, injuring five persons. The injured were taken to Sion Hospital for treatment after they were rescued.

Mayor Ritu Tawde inspected the rescue operations at the incident site and announced ₹4 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased person and ₹50,000 in assistance for each injured person. 

In the incident, soil and debris from the hillside collapsed onto two to three houses, resulting in loss of life and property damage, the mayor said. 

She met the affected families, offered her condolences, and directed all the agencies present at the site to expedite the relief and rescue operation. 

Ward Committee Chairman Vijayendra Shinde, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Eastern Suburbs) Dr. Avinash Dhakane, Assistant Commissioner (In-charge), L Ward, Anil Jadhav, were present at the spot.

“The site of the incident and the route leading to it are extremely narrow, allowing only one person to pass at a time. BMC officers, employees and workers, along with the Mumbai Fire Brigade, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Mumbai Police, are making every possible effort to rescue people trapped under the debris,” Ms. Tawade said.

Snehal Mutha

BMC reported this as a level II incident.
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement