14 people were killed in Mahul, a fishing village in Chembur, Mumbai, when a landslide caused a wall to collapse on several homes, India’s National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said.

At the same time, at least 6 people were killed after landslides collapsed homes in Vikhroli, a suburb of Mumbai located on the northeastern side of the city.

In a statement on his Twitter account, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he was “saddened by the loss of lives due to wall collapses in Chembur and Vikhroli in Mumbai” while promising financial compensation for the bereaved families.

Saddened by the loss of lives due to wall collapses in Chembur and Vikhroli in Mumbai. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. Praying that those who are injured have a speedy recovery: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 18, 2021

Landslides are very common in India. The young age of the region's hills results in rock formations, which are susceptible to slippages. Rising population and development pressures, particularly from logging and tourism, cause deforestation. The result is denuded hillsides which exacerbate the severity of landslides; since tree, cover impedes the downhill flow of water. Landslides in India are also highly dangerous as many Indian families and farmers preside in the hills or mountains.

On July 12, 2000, a landslide occurred in Ghatkopar, a suburban neighborhood located in Mumbai, India on 12 July 2000. Seventy-eight people, including twenty-seven men, fifteen women, and fifteen children, were killed, while seven more were injured. Most of the victims were residents of the Mumbai slums, where building and sanitation conditions are very poor. (ILKHA)