GUWAHATI: At least 24 people died as heavy rain triggered flash floods and landslides in the Northeast.
Eighteen deaths were reported on Saturday – nine from Arunachal Pradesh, five from Assam and four from Mizoram.
Earlier, six people had died – three in Meghalaya and one each in Nagaland, Mizoram and Tripura.
Officials in Arunachal said seven people lost their lives when a landslide struck their vehicle, and it fell into a deep gorge. The deceased, including four children and two pregnant women, were from two families.
The incident occurred on the Bana-Seppa Road in East Kameng district late Friday night when the victims were travelling from Bana to East Kameng district headquarters, Seppa.
All the bodies were recovered by rescue teams following efforts through the night. A second passenger vehicle narrowly escaped after being caught in the same landslide.
In another incident of a landslide, two labourers died in the state’s Lower Subansiri district. Two others were rescued. The incident occurred along the Ziro-Kamle Road.
The torrential rains hit several districts of the state. Extensive damage was reported from the Upper Subansiri district.
In Mizoram, five members of a family were swept away by flash floods in the Champhai district. Two were later rescued, but three lost their lives. The victims were said to be refugees from Myanmar.
In another incident in Serchhip district, a man died when a landslide struck his house.
The Lawngtlai district was also hit by multiple landslides, in which a hotel and some houses collapsed. Two people were trapped in the debris of the hotel, but both were rescued.
Landslides struck three localities of Guwahati in Assam, killing five persons, including children, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority said in a bulletin.
The roads in Guwahati turned into rivers, disrupting vehicular traffic and throwing daily life out of gear.
The Manipur government said incidents of landslides were reported from the hill districts of Tamenglong, Ukhrul, Noney and Pherzawl. An official statement said ” the location report” was awaited. Several rivers were in spate, causing flash floods.
In the wake of continuous and heavy downpours, several states in the Northeast have advised people to avoid unnecessary travel and stay at home. Educational institutions in Mizoram have remained shut since Thursday. Similarly, schools and colleges in Guwahati remained closed on Saturday.