The kitchen of the house after the landslide. Captured by : Vikram Nayak
VASCO
A major landslide struck Cortalim on Sunday afternoon, causing extensive damage to Cliff Vaz’s house. Remarkably, a senior citizen and children in the home escaped unscathed, despite the roof being destroyed and mud and stones entering the house.
The landslide occurred around 12 PM, sending a huge boulder rolling down the hill, where it got stuck between the walls of two adjoining houses. The incident prompted immediate action from local officials. Cortalim MLA Anton Vas rushed to the scene upon receiving the news and alerted the fire brigade and disaster management team, who quickly arrived to assist. Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar, a friend of Cliff Vaz, also came to offer support.
Speaking to the media, Cliff Vaz recounted the terrifying experience. “It was around 12 o’clock when we heard noises from the hill. Suddenly, there was a huge thud on the roof, and mud and stones damaged the roof and entered our house. My mother was in the kitchen at the time but moved to the hall upon hearing the sound, miraculously escaping unharmed. Being a Sunday, the children were also at home and were not injured.” said Vaz.
“This is my first experience of a landslide, and the damage it caused is significant. I am grateful to both MLAs who rushed to the site and arranged for the fire brigade and other agencies. The kitchen and adjoining room are completely damaged, and a huge boulder caused cracks in the adjoining house as well. The hillock poses a further threat, with the possibility of more boulders rolling down, endangering lives,” he added.
Cortalim MLA Anton Vas attributed the landslide to heavy rains in the area. “This is the second consecutive landslide in my constituency within a few days. The big boulders have rolled down, causing damage to the house, but thankfully no injuries have been reported. The situation is risky as water could enter the house, and we have already informed the government. Tackling this will be challenging, and we may need to use breakers to remove dangerously placed boulders along the hill. We are considering relocating affected families to ensure their safety. All relevant departments are here to assess the situation caused by heavy rains,” said Vas.
Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar emphasized the need for a proactive approach to disaster management. “We have discussed the landslide in the assembly and demanded that disaster management should prioritise such cases. We aim to change rules and regulations to streamline the process for providing relief to affected families. This incident underscores the need for immediate and efficient action to prevent future tragedies,” said Amonkar.
