Rain, landslides kill at least 32 in Northeast
Aizawl/Kohima/Guwahati/Shillong: At least 32 people were killed in Northeast India on Tuesday due to landslides and incessant rain in the aftermath of Cyclone ‘Remal’. The fatalities included 23 in Mizoram, three in Assam, two in Meghalaya, and four in Nagaland.
In a major incident in Mizoram, 13 people, including two minors, were killed and eight others went missing when a stone quarry collapsed in Aizawl district, according to a report from the Mizoram State Disaster Management Authority (MSDMA). The collapse occurred around 6 am between Melthum and Hlimen on the southern outskirts of Aizawl, burying several houses and worker camps and leaving at least 21 people trapped under the debris. Police have recovered 13 bodies and continue to search for the missing.
Aizawl’s Deputy Commissioner Nazuk Kumar stated that search operations would persist until the site is completely cleared. Director General of Police Anil Shukla confirmed that 22 bodies had been recovered, with 1-2 individuals still believed to be trapped. Heavy rain has hampered rescue efforts.
In Meghalaya, two people died, and over 500 others were injured due to heavy rain. The deaths included one in East Jaintia Hills and another in East Khasi Hills district. Landslides and flash floods affected 17 villages, damaging numerous houses. North Garo Hills was particularly hard hit, with 125 houses damaged.
In Assam, three people, including a woman, were killed, and 17 others were injured due to heavy rain and strong winds. The deceased included a 60-year-old woman in the Kamrup district, a person in Lakhimpur district due to a landslide, and a 17-year-old student in Morigaon district. Additionally, 12 children were injured when a tree fell on their school bus in Sonitpur district.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, campaigning in Odisha, directed Chief Secretary Ravi Kota to assess the situation and ensure relief efforts. Flash floods were reported in Karimganj district, prompting a high alert. Alerts of varying severity were issued for different districts, with some areas closing schools until May 29.
In Nagaland, four deaths and damage to over 40 houses were reported. A seven-year-old boy drowned in Laruri village, two other drownings occurred at Doyang Dam, and an elderly man was killed by a wall collapse in Phek district. The Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) reported extensive damage across the state. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel were deployed for rescue and relief operations, utilising an underwater drone for the first time in the state’s history. Mudslides also occurred in Kikruma village. Cyclone Remal made landfall along the coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh around midnight Sunday, bringing devastating winds and heavy rain. With agency inputs
