GUWAHATI: Nine people, including eight minors, perished in three incidents of landslides, triggered by incessant rains, in Manipur's Tamenglong district in the wee hours of Wednesday.
According to reports reaching here, the deaths occurred at New Salem and Neigailuang localities of Tamenglong town after some houses had collapsed. Seven people were also injured and admitted to the district hospital in Tamenglong.
When reports last came in, the bodies of two children, aged nine months and five years, were to be recovered. In one incident, five children of one family were killed. In another incident, two children of same parents were carried away by muddy water when the family was deep asleep.
In the third incident, a mother-son duo was killed when their house was swept away. Chief Minister N Biren Singh tweeted: "I am deeply saddened to know that nine precious lives lost due to landslide at 3 places in Tamenglong Head Quarter, till now 7 bodies have been recovered, 2 bodies of children yet to be recovered. Rescue operations are on".
Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region, Jitendra Singh, also took to Twitter. He wrote: "Saddened to learn, 9 precious lives lost due to landslide at 3 places in Tamenglong, #Manipur. Appreciate CM Sh @NBirenSingh taking personal interest in rescue operations".
Tamenglong Deputy Commissioner (District Magistrate) Rabinder Singh said security personnel and the locals were carrying out rescue operations on a war-footing.
Executive Magistrate in the Deputy Commissioner's office, Sheikh Aasif Shah, told TNIE 13 houses were destroyed in the incidents. He said relief camps had been opened for the affected families and relief provided to the inmates.
"After assessment of the sites, the members of some 50 families have been asked to shift to safer areas. As such, the people are vacating their houses which lie in vulnerable areas," he added. Manipur and parts of the Northeast have been witnessing incessant rainfall for the past few days.