The construction of the railway tracks during the monsoons triggered deadly landslides in Manipur taking 81 lives, more are missing.
The landslide struck the northeastern state of Manipur on the nights of June 29 and 30 taking 81 lives and hitting the railway construction camp.
The North-East Frontier Railway CPRO said the landslide was triggered by continuous rains and caused damage to the Tupul Station building of the ongoing Jiribam Imphal new railway line project.
Fresh teams were sent out and radar is being successfully operated and a search and rescue dog operation is being executed to assist in the search.
While search operations are on in the Tupul area, the death toll rises to 25 while the rescue and search operations in Manipur’s Tupul continue after a deadly landslide struck the northeastern state on the nights of June 29 and 30.
The landslide hit on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday near the company location of 107 Territorial Army of the Indian Army deployed near Tupul Railway Station for protection of the under-construction railway line from Jiribam to Imphal.
According to PRO defence, Guwahati, relentless search operations by the Indian Army, Assam Rifles, Territorial Army, State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) at the incident site at Tupul, Manipur continue.
On Friday, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh termed the landslide in Noney district the worst incident in the history of the state.
Chief Minister Singh again visited the site to encourage the personnel engaged in rescue operations.
“It is the worst incident in the history of the state. We have lost 81 people’s lives, of which 18, including territorial army [personnel], were rescued. Around 55 persons are trapped. It will take 2-3 days to recover all the dead bodies due to the soil,” Singh said to Live TV
So far, 13 Territorial Army personnel and five civilians have been safely rescued, while the mortal remains of 18 Territorial Army personnel and six civilians have been recovered so far, the PRO said in a press statement.
The mortal remains of 14 personnel including 1 JCO and 12 other ranks of Territorial Army personnel were sent to respective home stations by two IAF aircraft and an Indian Army helicopter, while one mortal remain was sent to Kangpokpi Distt Manipur by road, after wreath-laying by GOC Red Shield Division and IG IGAR (South) at Imphal with full military honours today. Befitting distinctions will be paid at respective home stations as per military tradition.
The search for 12 missing Territorial Army personnel and 26 civilians still continues, the release read.