Lagatar24 Desk
Guwahati, July 3: With the recovery of three more bodies on Sunday, the death toll from the landslide at a railway construction site in Manipur’s Noney district rose to 37, and search efforts for other 25 people were ongoing, an official said.
The search efforts have been hampered by recent heavy rains and landslides in the Tupul area since Saturday night, he claimed. 37 people’s bodies have so far been recovered from the rubble. 24 members of the Territorial Army and 13 civilians are among them, according to a defence official in Guwahati.
“Relentless effort to find the remaining six missing Territorial Army personnel, and 19 civilians will continue till the last individual is found,” he said.
The search activities involve the Army, Assam Rifles, Territorial Army, SDRF, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
“The search operation is continuing despite adverse weather conditions, owing to heavy rains and fresh landslides last night,” the spokesperson said.
Five civilians and 13 members of the Territorial Army have so far been successfully rescued. The missing individuals are being located beneath the wreckage using through wall imaging radar (TWIR) equipment. According to the official, a search and rescue dog has also been sent in to help in the efforts.
On Wednesday evening, a sizable landslide struck the Tupul yard railway construction camp.The Ijei river was blocked by the debris, resulting in a reservoir that poses a threat of flooding the low-lying neighbourhoods. Clearing the debris to allow the water to flow out is now being done.
According to the spokesperson, the bodies of seven members of the Territorial Army were delivered to their hometowns on Sunday: Agartala, Tripura; and Kolkata, West Bengal.
