Silchar, May 30 -- The toll due to landslides across Mizoram rose to 29 on Wednesday after four more bodies were recovered from various places across the state even as three more deaths were reported from Assam as heavy rainfall and strong winds brought on by cyclone Remal continued to wreak havoc.
The development came a day after at least 17 people were killed after a stone quarry collapsed in Mizoram's capital of Aizawl.
Aizawl superintendent of police Rahool Alwal said that 29 bodies have been recovered so far and several others are still missing. "Of the 29, 15 were recovered from Methum. Three bodies were found at Aizawl's Salem Veng locality, two each at Falkawn and Aibawk villages," he said. A total of 25 bodies, including 14 from a stone quarry collapse site, were recovered till May 28 night.
Among the deceased people, 23 were Mizoram residents, five were labourers from Jharkhand and one was from Assam's Silchar town. One of them was a four-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl, Alwal said.
"The search and rescue operations are still on and will continue till all missing persons are found," the deputy commissioner of Aizawl, Nazuk Kumar said.
Mizoram chief minister Lalduhoma visited the sites in Aizawl on Wednesday and assured adequate assistance to victims.The CM also attended a meeting at the District Disaster Operation Centre and said that he has already sanctioned Rs.15 crore from the Disaster Mitigation Fund. Additionally, he gave Rs.50,000 to the Melthum Branch Young Mizo Association, a students' association who are supporting the security forces in the rescue operations. He also handed over the amount of ex gratia to the family members of eight victims.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Hindustan Times.
