The death toll of the massive landslide at the railway construction site in Manipur's Noney district rose to 42 on Sunday. An official said that three more bodies were recovered while search operations were underway for another 25 people.
Officials said that search and rescue operations were halted after heavy rains and fresh landslides lashed the Tupul region on Saturday night. Among the 42 people found so far, 27 are Territorial Army personnel while 17 of them are civilians, a Defence spokeperson in Guwahati informed the reporters.
"Relentless effort to find the remaining six missing Territorial Army personnel, and 19 civilians will continue till the last individual is found," he said.
The Army, Assam Rifles, Territorial Army, SDRF and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are part of the search operations. "The search operation is continuing despite adverse weather conditions, owing to heavy rains and fresh landslides last night," the spokesperson said.
So far, 13 Territorial Army personnel and five civilians have been safely rescued.
Through Wall Imaging Radar (TWIR) technology is being used to find the missing persons under the debris. A search and rescue dog has also been brought in to assist the efforts, the official said.
Bodies of seven Territorial Army personnel were sent to their hometowns -- Kolkata and Bagdogra in West Bengal, and Agartala in Tripura -- on Sunday, the spokesperson said. Full military honours were given to them at Imphal, he said.
When did this incident occur?
The landslide hit on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday near the company location of 107 Territorial Army of the Indian Army deployed near Tupul Railway Station for protection of the under-construction railway line from Jiribam to Imphal.
The North-East Frontier Railway CPRO said the landslide triggered by incessant rains caused damage to the Tupul station building of the ongoing Jiribam - Imphal new line project.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reviewed the landslide situation caused due to incessant rainfall in Manipur with Chief Minister N Biren Singh and assured full possible support from the central government.
"Spoke to Manipur CM N Biren Singh and reviewed the situation due to a tragic landslide. Assured all possible support from the Centre. I pray for the safety of all those affected. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon," PM Modi said in Twitter post.
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