At least 32 people have been killed in four northeastern states– Mizoram, Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland– in landslides, storm and accidents triggered due to Cyclone Remal, officials said on Tuesday.
In Mizoram, 27 bodies have been recovered after multiple landslides were reported on Tuesday following heavy rainfall in the state. Three persons, including a college student, died in Assam after the state faced strong winds followed by heavy rainfall, officials said.
Among the 27 dead in Mizoram, two were minors and most of them were labourers from other states. Officials said that around eight are still missing and there are possibilities of recovery of more bodies.
At around 6am on Tuesday, a stone quarry in Aizawl’s Melthum area collapsed due to heavy rainfall. According to the officials, some individuals, including a child, were rescued. Several individuals were feared trapped after a massive landslide took place at ITI and Salem localities on the border of Mizoram, according to the officials.
Mizoram director general of police (DGP) Anil Shukla said that a massive rescue operation was launched immediately and forces like the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Assam Rifles and local police have been deployed.
According to the disaster management authorities of Mizoram, the heavy rainfall began on May 27 with the effect of Cyclone Remal, and it intensified on May 28 which has caused landslides in many areas across the state.
Mizoram chief minister Lalduhoma said, “We are taking appropriate measures to handle the situation.” He also announced ex-gratia for the family members of deceased.
As per the reports of Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), three individuals, including a 17-year-old student, died in the state due to the storm till Tuesday evening.
Many parts of Assam have been witnessing very heavy to heavy rainfall and severe storms since Monday as an after-effect of Cyclone Remal.
In Morigaon district, a college student was killed on Tuesday morning after a tree fell on the autorickshaw he was travelling in. The deceased, a student of Gurugul Junior College, was on his way to the institution when the incident took place.
A 60-year-old woman named Lavanya Kumari from Rajapukhuri Village in Kamrup District died after a tree fell on her house, according to the officials.
ASDMA on Tuesday evening in a statement wrote, “Till now, three persons have died in Storm in the last 24 hours, one each in Morigaon, Kamrup and Kamrup Metro district. Further details are awaited.”
Amid heavy rainfall, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma asked several education institutes to cancel the classes. He wrote on X, formerly Twitter, “In light of the Red Alert for Nagaon, Hojai, West Karbi Anglong, Karbi Anglong, Golaghat, Dima Hasao, Cachar, Hailakandi, and Karimganj, all educational institutions in these districts will remain closed on May 29, 2024. Stay safe.”
Other top education institutes including Assam University Silchar and Guwahati’s Cotton University have cancelled examination and classes scheduled for May 29.
Dima Hasao is one of the most affected districts as per the official reports. Landslides in several areas in the district have disrupted the road connectivity between the three districts of Barak Valley and the rest of the state.
The flight operations at Guwahati’s Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LGBIA) were also impacted by the weather. Several flights were cancelled on Tuesday, especially the Aizawl, Agartala and Silchar-bound flights, according to the authorities.
Due to the incessant rainfall, urban floods have also been reported in Guwahati, Silchar and other cities. More than 50% of the Silchar town is under water and many schools, offices and households inundated.
As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), 60 to 90mm rainfall were recorded in various parts of Assam and the state has received 450.2mm downpour in last seven days.
As per the IMD’s predictions, heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected till June 2. Thunderstorms followed by heavy rainfall have been predicted for Mizoram for the next three days.
In Meghalaya, one person was killed when a retaining wall fell on his house on Tuesday morning at Sutnga village in East Jaintia Hills district. In another incident, 4 persons were injured in a landslide in Mawkynroh Bypass in East Khasi Hills district.
According to a bulletin by the State Disaster Management Authority, 17 villages in the state have been affected by cyclonic storm. Several low-lying areas of the state capital Shillong witnessed flooding on Tuesday.
Nagaland recorded damage to public infrastructure, houses, agricultural fields and road blockages due to mudslides were reported on Tuesday across several districts. Officials of Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) said damage reports were still being compiled at the time of filing this report.
According to officials, a 73-year-old man was crushed to death by a falling retaining wall in Pfutsero under Phek district. In two other incidents (not related to cyclone), a seven-year-old boy was reported drowned at Laruri village under Meluri subdivision in Phek district while another drowning incident was reported from Doyang dam under Wokha district.
In Manipur, cyclone Remal triggered heavy rainfall resulting in widespread flooding in the low-lying areas and landslides in hill areas, severely impacting normal life, official reports said on Tuesday. As a precautionary measure, the state government has directed schools to remain closed till May 31.
Important roads and areas in both Imphal West and Imphal districts, where the state capital Imphal is located, as well as residential areas in a few districts including Senapati, have been inundated, causing significant chaos and inconvenience to residents. No casualties have been reported so far despite the adverse conditions.
A mudslide triggered by the heavy rain near K Sinam village in Kangpokpi district, along NH 37 Imphal-Silchar highway, resulted in a goods laden truck being swept into a gorge. Many trucks remain stranded as excavators work to clear the debris, officials said. Landslides also reported near Litan along Imphal-Ukhrul route.
In hill districts of Senapati and Ukhrul districts, many rivers are overflowing, causing floodwaters to inundate several localities. A bridge between Kangpokpi and Saikul was also badly damaged.
The situation is aggravated by swollen rivers in Manipur valley, including the Imphal, Iril and Namnul rivers, due to the continuous heavy rainfall. The water level of rivers is increasing while overflowing of a stream submerged houses and farmland.
Cyclone Remal impact: 394 flights affected, 2 killed in Bengal; 10 dead in Bangladesh
In Tripura, heavy rainfall was reported in several areas on Tuesday. According to IMD, maximum rainfall was recorded in Unakoti district (252.4 mm) while lowest rainfall was recorded in South district (168 mm) from May 27 morning till May 28 morning.
In Arunachal Pradesh, IMD has issued red alert in four districts, West Kameng, East Kameng, Papum Pare and Changlang with prediction of heavy rainfall across the state in the next few days.