Aizawl: Another body was recovered on Thursday in Mizoram’s Aizawl district, after which the number of people who lost their lives in the landslides rose to 28. A police official gave this information. Aizawl Superintendent of Police Rahul Alwal said that the body of a person was pulled out from the debris of the landslide at 11 am on Thursday from Hlimen, the southern outskirts of Aizawl.
He said that the person was not a resident of the local area. The officer said that with the recovery of this body, a total of 28 bodies have been pulled out so far. According to the police officer, six people including a six-month-old child are still missing.
Although the district officials and police had put the death toll at 29 on Wednesday afternoon, they later apologized and corrected the mistake and said that 27 people had lost their lives. Officials said that due to poor mobile network, wrong information was received from Aibak village. The search for two persons missing in the village is still on.
Officials said that three minors and seven people from Jharkhand and Assam were among those who lost their lives due to the landslides. Aizawl Deputy Commissioner Najuk Kumar told PTI that search and rescue operations were launched on Thursday morning in Meltham, Hlimen and Aibwk areas.
Today (Thursday) is the third day of the rescue operation. He said that National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force, Police, Fire Department and Quick Reaction Force (QRT) teams have been deployed for the operation.
Volunteers of the Young Mizo Association (YMA) are also assisting in the operation, the official said.
Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the families of those killed in landslides and other rain-related calamities in other parts of the state.
Lalduhoma said the government has set aside Rs 15 crore to deal with rain-related disasters as a result of cyclonic storm ‘Remal’.