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Manipur landslide: Death toll rises to 42 as search operation continues
On Saturday morning, a fresh landslide was reported at the Marangching area, where search operations were continuing for the third day
The death toll of massive landslide at a railway construction site in Manipur’s Noney district rose to 42 after eight more bodies were recovered from the debris on the fourth day of search operation for survivors on Sunday.
The landslide also hit 107 Territorial Army (TA) camps of the Indian army deployed at the area for protection of the railway construction work.
Also Read: Manipur landslide: 20 army men among 27 dead, 35 still missing
“We’ve recovered 8 more bodies till 7:30pm today,” said a senior state government official who is monitoring the situation from Noney district headquarters.
“The search continues”, he added.
As the landslide area covers about 1km stretch, the search operation may take a few more days.
Meanwhile, chief minister N Biren Singh visited the army hospital at Inspector General Assam Rifles headquarters near Imphal and extended a sum of ₹50,000 to each of the injured jawans and wished them speedy recovery.
Earlier he had announced ex-gratia of ₹5 lakh to the next kin of those deceased and ₹50,000 to those injured.
Minister of state for Education Dr Subhas Sarkar along with Lok Sabha MP Raju Bista also visited the affected area on Sunday.
On Saturday morning, a fresh landslide was reported at the Marangching area, where search operations were continuing for the third day. However, there was no loss of life or property reported during the incident.
Following the incident, the deputy commissioner Haulianlal Guiteof Noney district issued an order on Sunday “to avoid pile-up of vehicles and visitors at ground zero of the Marangching landslide,Noney and ensure there is smooth, efficient operation of vehicles used in the landslide search and rescue operation.”
“No vehicles carrying relief materials from civil society organisations and other well-wishers shall be allowed beyond the highway junction, all such relief materials shall be deployed at the DC office where SDO Haochong shall receive them,” the order said.
Till Saturday, 34 bodies were recovered while 18 injured persons were rescued and referred to hospitals for treatment. Out of the total bodies recovered so far, 24 are those from Territorial Army personnel while 28 others including 7 Territorial Army are still missing.
The ongoing search operation by nearly 500 personnel belonging to NDRF, SDRF , Armymen, state and other agencies, resumed from 9am onwards even though it was disturbed by rain for some time on Sunday morning.
