From Our Correspondent
Guwahati:Three persons including two children were killed in sleep when their house collapsed under the force of a landslide triggered by incessant rainfall, late at night on Thursday, at Lalungaon under Gorchuk Police station in the outskirt of Guwahati city.
Police said the deceased were identified as Nimarai Choudhury (35), Rahul Choudhury (6) and Sasanka Baishya (3). Sasanka was a guest at the house of Isram Choudhury.
The house was located at the foot of a hillock where the landslip occurred due to hours long rain in the wee hours on Friday.
All the seven residents of the house were asleep when mud came down sliding and fell on the house, police said. The family of one Sisoram Choudhury of Lalunggaon was trapped inside their house after it collapsed in the landslide following heavy rains since last evening.
Neighbours rushed to rescue and managed to pull out four people alive.
It is not the first time such a tragedy has occurred in Guwahati. In fact, such incidents occur every rainy season as a large number of people have settled down encroaching government land at foot hills areas in and around the city defying warning issued by the administration from time to time.
Government’s efforts to evict such encroachers who are dangerously living atop hills as well as at foot hills, is being stonewalled by various NGOs led by Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity (KMSS) that demands settlement of land to those people living illegally on government and forest and in and around Guwahati city.
Guwahati being the only happening city in the entire region, the ciaty is reeling under the pressure of lakhs of people who have migrated to the city from various corners of the State and other parts of the region.
Landslides, flash floods triggered due to clogged drains have become bane of life in many parts of Guwahati during the rainy season.
Though the concerned government authorities spend huge amount of money every year for de-siltation of Guwahati drains and oil conservation atop hill areas.
Heavy rains on Thursday evening had triggered the mudslide in the area, police said.
Encroachment of hills around Guwahati for residential purposes has emerged as a major concern for the administration, with landslides damaging houses and claiming lives becoming a routine affair during the monsoons. (With inputs from Agencies)