The death toll in the landslide at a railway construction site in Manipur’s Noney district rose to 34, as 13 more bodies were recovered from the debris on the third day of search for survivors on Saturday, officials said. The massive landslide took place near the railway construction camp at Marangching part 5 area, about 75km west of the state capital, in the intervening night of June 29 and 30.
The landslide also hit 107 Territorial Army camps of the Indian army deployed at the area for the protection of the railway construction work.
“So far we’ve recovered 34 bodies, including today’s 13 bodies,” said a state government official monitoring the situation from Noney district headquarters. “Out of the day’s 13 new recoveries, eight are army men.”
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Meanwhile, a fresh landslide was reported on Saturday morning at the Marangching area, where search operations are continuing for the third day. There is no loss of life or property during the incident, disaster management officials said.
In view of the development, the deputy commissioner of Noney district in an advisory appealed to general public living in villages’ downstream to take precautions as the flow in local rivers are expected to rise because of continuous rainfall and the fresh landslide.
{{/usCountry}}In view of the development, the deputy commissioner of Noney district in an advisory appealed to general public living in villages’ downstream to take precautions as the flow in local rivers are expected to rise because of continuous rainfall and the fresh landslide.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, Manipur ministers S Ranjan (health) and L Susindro (consumer affairs) visited the landslide site to oversee the search. More than 400 personnel across multiple central and state departments are involved in search and rescue.
Among missing are 29-year-old Kabamgai, his wife and one-and-half-year-old daughter. The family from Marangching Part 4 used to run a shop at the railway construction camp.
A 52-year-old Paijolu, mother of Kabamgai, who last received a phone call from his son, said: “All our hope has been shattered as my son and daughter-in -law’s phone is unreachable since Thursday (June 30) morning.”