Three of family die in Mumbai landslide, toll now five

The toll in Wednesday's major landslide in Antop Hill in central Mumbai shot up to five, with three more bodies of people belonging to one family being recovered from the debris early Thursday, officials said.

A hillock in the vicinity of the Sheikh Mistry Dargah Road here suddenly collapsed, coming down on five tenements of Devram Chawl just below it, Wednesday morning. One person, Ramavtar P. Kewat, 47, was killed instantly. His son, Sandeep, 22, succumbed to grievous injuries later in a hospital.

According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's Disaster Control cell, three more bodies were found under the mound of earth and boulders that came crashing down on the tenements.

A three-member family was crushed under the impact of the landslide. They have been identified as: Sultana Sheikh, 25, and her two minor sons, Arif Sheikh two years, and Rizwan Sheikh, 18 months old.

The landslide occurred around 8 a.m. Wednesday, as the city and suburbs were lashed by heavy rain, which continues Thursday. Another injured youth, Salim Sheikh, 27, was brought out alive from the debris. He is battling for life at Sion Hospital, officials at the disaster cell said.