Pune village landslide toll reaches 68

With hopes of finding more survivors fast receding, rescuers have dug out 27 more bodies since last night as the toll in the Malin landslide disaster rose to 68.
Over 100 people are still feared trapped under the debris of the landslide that flattened 44 houses in the village located in a hilly terrain in Ambegaon taluka, in the vicinity of the Bhimashankar forest range.
NDRF jawans, whose relentless rescue efforts entered the third day today after the village was buried under masses of mud on Wednesday morning, wore masks to keep out stench of the decomposed bodies.
The dead victims whose bodies have been extricated so far include 27 males, 31 females and 10 children, the district control room set up to monitor the situation said.

Mass cremations were being performed by relatives who reached the village that has virtually been wiped out.
Maharashtra government has announced assistance of Rs five lakh each to families of the victims with a promise of full rehabilitation.
The state relief and rehabilitation minister Patangrao Kadam told reporters that the rescue operation was expected to continue for another two days depending on weather conditions.
A little respite from rain this morning enabled NDRF jawans to move relatively faster to clear the mud using JCBs and dumpers, he added.