GUWAHATI: At least 14 were feared buried alive by a massive landslide triggered by flash flood caused due to incessant rains in Papum Pare district of Arunachal Pradesh at round 3 P.M on Tuesday. Eight houses were wiped out by the landslide and inmates were buried alive, a district official said.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu has expressed deep shock and grief over the loss of 14 human lives and damages caused by a massive landslide at Laptap village under Toru Circle in Sagalee sub-division of Papum Pare district this afternoon. Khandu announced release of ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakhs each to the next of kin of the deceased
The CM immediately put the district administration on alert and ordered urgent rescue operation to evacuate probable survivors trapped inside the debris and damaged houses.
A thirty-five member NDRF team was rushed to the spot to out rescue operations along with volunteers and villagers of the area. Five dead bodies have been retrieved so far from the debris.
Khandu said Arunachal Pradesh had been at the receiving end of nature’s fury every year and the best people could do was to avoid vulnerable places and stop rampant hill cutting and deforestation. The CM directed the district administration to ensure that people residing in vulnerable areas are immediately shifted to safer locations and provided with all basic amenities at least till the monsoons recede.