The death toll in the massive landslide that hit the Territorial Army’s Tupul yard railway construction camp in Manipur’s Noney district rose to 20, officials said on Friday.
The landslide, which eroded a major portion of a hill, took place on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. It also hit the 107 Territorial Army (TA) camp of the Indian Army deployed near the station to guard the major railway line from Jiribam to Imphal.
“Additional teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) from Silchar and Kohima are also joining the existing search operation groups,” said sub-divisional officer Solomon L Fimate of Haochong who is monitoring the situation. “We have also started using big machinery,” he said.
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Replying to a query on how long the search operations will continue, Fimate said, “It will depend on multiple factors, including weather, difficult terrain and big area coverage (2-km stretch) as this incident is the biggest landslide ever reported in the state’s history.”
“So far 13 Territorial Army personnel and five civilians have been safely rescued,” said a release issued by Indian Army. “Search for 15 missing Territorial Army personnel and 29 civilians will continue unabated,” it said.
{{/usCountry}}“So far 13 Territorial Army personnel and five civilians have been safely rescued,” said a release issued by Indian Army. “Search for 15 missing Territorial Army personnel and 29 civilians will continue unabated,” it said.
{{/usCountry}}Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh visited the landslide site for the second time on Friday and reviewed the rescue operation. The Manipur CM had announced an ex-gratia of ₹5 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 each for those injured.
Meanwhile, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday evening said nine jawans from her state have died in the incident. “Shocked to know that nine jawans of the Darjeeling hills (107 Territorial Army unit) are among the casualties in the Manipur landslide. Deeply mourn the demise and extend all solidarity and support to the next of kin. Heartfelt condolences,” Banerjee tweeted.
Initially, the debris from the landslide had blocked the Ijei river creating a reservoir that could have inundated low-lying areas. However, water level has been receding fast after eight excavators cleared the debris and resumed the river’s course on Friday. In view of the development and subsequent improvement of the weather condition, search operation continued with deployment of around 10 excavators and usage of Through Wall Imaging Radar (TWIR) for detection of any human presence on the second day on Friday.
Of the 20 bodies recovered, 15 were those of Territorial Army personnel and five civilians.
(With Agency Inputs)