Torrential rain claims over 100 lives in Indian state of Maharashtra

Indian state of Maharashtra has lost more that 100 lives in a series of hillslides, landslides, house-crashes and other incidents after torrential rains, officials said on Friday.

At least 50 people were buried alive and an equal number of people were feared trapped under the debris in a hillslide in a village in Raigad.

Separately, more the 50 people dies in other rain related accidents in different parts of the state.

India Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a tweet expressed his anguish at the loss of lives in Raigad landslide.

People wade through floodwaters in Kolhapur on Friday. AP

He also expressed his sincere condolence to the bereaved families and orders an ex-gratia of Rs200,000 for the kin of those who lost their lives and Rs50,000 for the injured.

State’s Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has also announced a compensation of Rs500,000 for the family of each deceased person and free treatment for all injured persons.

In Raigad an estimated 50-60m tall portion of a hillock broke loose and crashed onto around three dozen houses below, trapping a majority of the victims under the huge boulders.