Moshi garbage depot collapse: Death toll rises as six more bodies recovered after 72 hours

Families grew distressed as rescue ops at the Moshi waste plant crossed Day Three. Pics/Special Arrangement

Hopes of finding more survivors in the catastrophic Moshi garbage depot suffered a devastating blow on Saturday after six bodies were pulled from the debris, nearly 72 hours after the tragedy hit.

The recovery briefly rekindled hope among rescue teams and anxious families, but all victims were declared dead, confirmed medical officer Dr Laxman Gofane. They were identified as Akshay Sawant, Sunil Korke, Sunny Mane, Mahesh Kumbhar, Nagesh Gaikwad, and Ranjit Patil.

The operation involved cutting through collapsed concrete sections and removing massive quantities of garbage that had engulfed the administrative building of the waste-to-energy project after a portion of the waste mound collapsed on Wednesday afternoon. A total of 17 people, including three deceased, have now been recovered from the debris.

Families lose patience

As rescue efforts stretched beyond 72 hours, emotions ran high outside the disaster site and YCM Hospital. Over a hundred-plus relatives of the trapped workers surrounded senior civic officials and demanded answers over the slow progress of the operation. Security personnel later intervened to control the situation.

Critical phase of rescue ops

Officials said the structure has become highly unstable after a major portion of the building collapsed. The only available passage into the building is narrow and structurally unsafe. Under the supervision of NDRF engineers, rescue teams are first dismantling dangerous portions of the damaged structure using hydraulic breakers and heavy machinery, before creating a safe access route. NDRF Commandant Praveen Dhatt said, "Only after ensuring structural safety will our personnel be able to enter safely." Earlier, the rain had slowed debris removal, while toxic gases from the garbage mountain forced personnel to don oxygen masks.

CM orders faster biomining

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed the administration to provide immediate assistance to the families of the deceased and those affected. He also ordered the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation to accelerate the biomining of legacy waste at the Moshi garbage depot and establish an effective mechanism to process nearly 100 tonnes of waste that accumulates daily.

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No of survivors pulled out