Death Toll in Manipur Landslide Rises to 42; Rain Hinders Search for 20 Missing

The death toll in the landslide in Manipur's Noney district rose to 42, with 8 more bodies being discovered from the debris at Tupul yard railway construction camp on Sunday, 3 July.

(Photo: PTI)

The death toll in the landslide in Manipur's Noney district rose to 42, with 8 more bodies being discovered from the debris at Tupul yard railway construction camp on Sunday, 3 July.

Among those dead, 27 were Territorial Army personnel and 15 were civilians, including construction workers, railway employees, and villagers.

As many as 20 people continue to be missing, with heavy rains and fresh landslides hindering search operations.

The first landslide occurred on Wednesday night where a company of the 107 Territorial Army (TA) was deployed at a construction site near the Tupul yard railway construction site, raising questions about the construction of a rail line in a landslide prone area.5 personnel including a Lt Col of Territorial Army were sent to respective home stations by IAF aircraft this morning.

"Relentless effort to find the remaining three missing Territorial Army personnel, and 17 civilians will continue," a defence spokesperson told news agency PTI.

So far, 13 Territorial Army personnel and five civilians have been rescued.

The Army, Assam Rifles, Territorial Army, SDRF and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are part of the search operation.

Besides employing Through Wall Imagaing Radar (TWIR) to look for the missing, a search and a rescue dog has been brought in to help with the operation.

The bodies of seven Territorial Army personnel and four civilians were sent to their hometowns on Sunday. Five more bodies of army personnel, including a Lt Col of Territorial Army, were sent to their home stations on Monday, reported ANI.

CM Announces 5 Lakh Compensation For Victim's Families

Meanwhile, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said that Darjeeling MP and BJP National Spokesperson Raju Bista was actively monitoring the landslide situation in Manipur and actively reaching out to victims. He took to Twitter to thank him for his efforts.

He also mentioned that the Indian Red Cross Society, Imphal West District donated Rs 25,000/- for relief operations.

He had visited the disaster site last week on Friday and announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each for the family of the deceased.

Additionally, Rs 50,000 compensation has been announced for all injured.

Baghel, Mamata Express Condolences

Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel expressed his condolences in a tweet over the death of a Bhilai resident Lt. Col Kapil Dev Pandey in the landslide.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted that she was "shocked to know that nine jawans of Darjeeling hills" were among the casualties. She was in solidarity with the "kins of those dead".