Mumbai witnessed a major tragedy on Tuesday as a landslide hit Kurla, killing at least two people and leaving many others trapped under the rubble. At least two people were feared dead, and many more were trapped in the area, officials said.
The landslide was witnessed in Kurla, one of Mumbai’s most densely populated areas. Residents said they heard a rumbling sound before mud, rocks, and debris came crashing down. Several makeshift structures and residential units were affected by the collapse, trapping people inside and triggering rescue work.
Emergency response teams were immediately mobilised as soon as residents reported distress. Fire brigade personnel, police officers, municipal workers, and disaster response teams arrived at the site with special equipment to clear debris and find those trapped under the rubble. Excavators and earth-moving machinery were also put in place, and medical teams were kept on hand to treat the injured.
The death toll could go up as rescue workers continue to search for survivors. Initial assessments indicate that multiple people may be trapped, but it is not clear yet how many people are in distress, rescue workers have said. Rescue personnel are moving slowly as they are worried that further movement of soil or additional collapses would put both survivors and emergency workers at risk.
Witnesses said panic and chaos were experienced in their neighbourhood as residents struggled to save those trapped before rescue teams arrived. Many local people who were desperate used basic tools and their hands to reach the victims during the early rescue efforts. Authorities later cordoned off the area to ensure the safety of both rescuers and onlookers.
#WATCH | Mumbai: A landslide occurred at Gaushiya Chawl, Chirag Nagar, near Rathod Medical in Kurla, at around 3:48 am. Two bodies have been recovered, and 6-8 persons are likely to be trapped. Rescue operation is underway.
— ANI (@ANI) August 12, 2026
(Source: NDRF) pic.twitter.com/aiDt2V38nZ
Heavy rainfall has hammered Mumbai over the past couple of days, leading to waterlogging, road accidents, and landslides in some of the country’s most dangerous areas. Many experts have long warned that informal settlements on unstable slopes in the city of Mumbai are at risk of landslides during the monsoon season.
Senior officials in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Maharashtra government are closely monitoring the situation. Emergency agencies are now in control of the rescue and relief assistance for affected families, and various forms of assistance are being offered to those impacted by the landslide. Temporary shelters and relief efforts are also being provided to residents displaced by the landslide.
Medical teams have set up emergency response units near the site, and ambulances are stationed in the area to transport injured victims to nearby hospitals. Counselling and support services will also be offered to the victims of the disaster.
Rescue workers are searching for survivors and preventing further casualties as the night wears on. Residents living in landslide-prone areas should be on guard and report any movement in the soil, cracks, or structural instability as soon as possible, disaster management officials said.
The Kurla landslide is just one more stark reminder of the hazards of extreme weather events during Mumbai’s monsoon season. As rescue teams are racing to move fast, families in the city are still hopeful that some good news is coming as search operations continue and authorities assess the extent of the damage.
