GUWAHATI: Landslides triggered by incessant rains killed 16 people at Famla village near the Indo-China border town of Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday. Officials said that all the victims were from Assam. They were labourers, engaged in the construction of a five star hotel. Altogether 17 people from Assam had been engaged in the construction work.
They were staying in a camp adjacent to the construction site. The tragedy struck in the wee hours when they were fast asleep.
Arunachal MLA Pema Khandu, son of former Chief Minister the late Dorjee Khandu, is the owner of the under-construction hotel and the land there.
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Fifteen of the 16 victims were killed on the spot while one succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital. Another injured person was being taken to Assam (for better treatment),” Chief Minister Kalikho Pul told Express from state capital Itanagar.
He said the rains had thrown life out of gear. “The rains have affected services like power, health and water supply very badly at many places and caused artificial floods in Itanagar. The situation is critical and we need the Centre’s help to combat it,” Pul said.
Defence spokesman Lt Col Sombit Ghosh said the bodies were retrieved during a joint operation by the Army, civil administration and locals. The state government has announced ex-gratia payments of `4 lakh each to the next of kin of those killed and `1 lakh to the injured.
Four Northeastern states, including Assam, Arunachal, Nagaland and Meghalaya, have experienced incessant rains over the past week. The rains triggered landslides at many places.