Guwahati/Imphal: The death toll in a landslide at a railway construction site in Manipur’s Noni district rose to 37 on Sunday after three more bodies were found, while the search for another 25 people is on. An official gave this information. He said that heavy rains and fresh landslides affected the search operation in Tupul area since Saturday night. So far, the bodies of 37 people have been pulled out from under the rubble. A defense spokesperson in Guwahati said that among them are 24 Territorial Army personnel and 13 civilians.
“Relentless efforts will continue to trace the remaining six missing Territorial Army personnel and 19 civilians till the last person is found,” he said.
Army, Assam Rifles, Territorial Army, SDRF and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are part of the search operation.
“The search operation is going on despite adverse weather conditions due to heavy rains and fresh landslides last night,” the spokesman said. So far 13 Territorial Army personnel and five civilians have been safely rescued.
Wall Imaging Radar (TWIR) technology is being used to locate the missing persons under the rubble. A search and rescue dog has also been brought in to aid the efforts, the official said. a massive landslide On Wednesday night Tupul Yard hit the railway construction camp.
Debris blocked the Ijei River, creating a reservoir that threatens to submerge low-lying areas. At present, the work of clearing the debris is going on so that the water can flow out.
The bodies of seven Territorial Army personnel were on Sunday sent to their hometowns Kolkata and Bagdogra in West Bengal and Agartala in Tripura, the spokesman said. He said that he was given full military honors in Imphal.