Death toll in Mizoram landslides rises to 29, 7 still missing

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 29, 2024

The death toll in multiple landslides in the Aizawl district of Mizoram rose to 29 on Wednesday after two more bodies were recovered from various places, a senior official of the Mizoram government said.

However, seven people are still missing even as search and rescue operations continue, with State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel teaming up with Melthum Local Council and YMA.

A total of 27 bodies, including 14 from a stone quarry collapse site, were recovered by Tuesday night.

With the recovery of two more bodies, the toll in a stone quarry collapse site at Methum has risen to 15 and that at Hlimen to five, the official said.

Of the 29 victims, 23 are Mizoram residents, five people are from Jharkhand and one is from Assam’s Silchar town.

Of the deceased are a four-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl.

On Tuesday, Cyclone Remal left a trail of destruction in Aizawl city bringing damage of property at Melthum, Hlimen, Falkawn and Salem Veng.

Mizoram chief minister Lalduhoma and the minister in charge of disaster management and rehabilitation (DM&R) K Sapdanga were on-site at Melthum with other government officials.

Power and Electricity (P&E) and Public Health Engineering (PHE) departments have issued notices stating that electricity and water supply will be stifled until further notice as electric lines and water pumps have been damaged by landslides and floods.

Lalduhoma has announced a State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) of Rs 15 crore and Rs 4 lakh as ex-gratia for the deceased.

Lalduhoma and DM&R minister K Sapdanga will give Rs 2 lakh to the kin of the deceased at Hlimen, and the other half of the ex-gratia will be given later, as per SDRF norms. Other districts will be given funds from SRDF as needed.