Manipur landslide death toll rises to 42, 20 still missing

Efforts are continuing in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur to find 20 missing people, days after a massive landslide.

More than 40 people have died so far in the landslide, which hit a railway construction site late on Wednesday.

The victims were mostly laborers and members of a volunteer force of the Indian Army.

Officials say heavy rains and fresh landslides have hampered rescue efforts.

Monsoon rains have triggered severe floods in India’s north-eastern states, particularly in Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura.

The impact has been particularly severe in Assam, where more than 150 people have died in floods and landslides. Millions have been displaced.

Last week’s landslide, which occurred in Noney district in Manipur, was caused by “incessant rains”, a government official said.

Eighteen people were pulled out alive from the accident site over the weekend. But officials present at the site said only a “miracle” could save more lives.

They said that the amount of debris on the site and the wetness of the soil made it difficult to use heavy machinery in the area to search for victims.

Rescue workers were instead using radar technology to search for people still buried in the debris.

The site of the landslide was part of a railway line being constructed to connect Jiribam district in Manipur with state capital Imphal.

A company of the 107 Territorial Army – a volunteer reserve force of the Indian Army – had been deployed to protect the construction site at the time the landslide took place.

Of the 42 bodies recovered from the debris, 27 were army personnel while the 15 others included workers, railway employees and villagers

Locals said laborer camp included several workers from other states whose names were not known and whose documents were unavailable.

Manipur’s chief minister N Biren Singh has called the tragedy “one of the most unfortunate incidents in the history” of the state.

SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES