A preliminary report by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) says that excessive water used for cultivation of paddy together with continuous heavy rain may have contributed to the landslide which swept over Malin village on Wednesday.
The experts have proposed stopping paddy farming in the area altogether as an immediate step to prevent any further disintegration of surrounding hills.
Heavy rain prevented survey work
A team from the director general of GSI visited the disaster site for inspection on Saturday morning but could not carry out its work due to the heavy rain that is continuing in Malin and surrounding areas.
The team arrived in Malin at about 11am and met with the district collector to apprise him of their work.
Rescuers continue search for survivors "The work will begin when the rain subsides. Moreover, the rescue work is still underway," said Dr Venkata Swamy, director general, GSI (Nagpur region).
Saurabh Rao, Pune district collector, said the GSI team would conduct field visits in the area with a special focus on mountain ridges and the cracks that have developed on account of the torrent of rainwater flowing down the hills.
No immediate danger to other villages
The collector said that a detailed survey of the area would be undertaken, but the report could take a little longer as there are about 25-30 villages in the Malin area. "Currently, according to the GSI, there is no immediate threat to any of the villages in the vicinity. After we get the detailed report we will look at relocating those villages that may face a problem," Rao said.
"We will need to take a holistic approach for this, taking into account the culture, livelihood and other factors," he said.
82 bodies recovered so far
District authorities said on Saturday that 82 bodies had been recovered so far. They estimated that a similar number of people were still missing after the landslide that flattened more than 40 houses.
Eight persons, including a three-month-old baby, have been picked out alive.
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