At least 14 persons were killed more than 45 including Army personnel were missing as a massive landslide struck near Tupul railway station in Manipur’s Noney district, officials said on June 30.
The incident occurred late on June 29. More than 13 persons sustained injuries in the incident.
A top police official of Manipur present at the site that so far 14 bodies have been recovered from the site.
Union home minister Amit Shah said rescue operations are underway with National Disaster Response Force personnel at the site of the incident.
Visited Tupul to take stock of the unfortunate landslide situation.
I’m thankful to Hon’ble HM Shri @AmitShah Ji for calling me to assess the situation and assured all possible assistance. A team of NDRF has already reached the site for rescue operation. pic.twitter.com/rJU1d9UgNQ
— N.Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) June 30, 2022
“Due to incessant heavy rain for last few days, in the intervening night of June 29/30, the hillock adjacent to the Tupul station yard gave away and came down on the under-construction station yard. The under-construction Tupul station building, track formation and camps of construction workers got damaged as a result of the massive landslide,” said a press release of NF Railway on June 30.
The landslide also struck the company location of 107 Territorial Army of Indian Army deployed near Tupul Railway Station in Noney district for protection of the under-construction railway line from Jiribam to Imphal.
The press release further added: So far 19 individuals had been recovered. The injured individuals are being treated at Noney Army Medical unit. Evacuation of the critically injured personnel is in progress. However, bad weather and fresh landslides are affecting the rescue operations. A concerted effort by all is underway to rescue the missing individuals. The Army helicopters are also being used to airlift the critically injured.
Amit Shah also spoke to Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh and union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. He said that two more teams of NDRF are on their way to Tupul.
“Spoke to CM @NBirenSingh and @AshwiniVaishnaw in the wake of a landslide near the Tupul railway station in Manipur. Rescue operations are in full swing. A team of NDRF has already reached the spot and joined the rescue operations. 2 more teams are on their way to Tupul,” Shah tweeted.
According to an official statement, full-scale rescue operations are in progress by columns of the Indian Army and Assam Rifles.
