Manipur Landslide: Toll Rises To 20 As 12 More Bodies Recovered; 43 Still Missing | KEY POINTS

As many as 43 are still missing after the rain-induced landslide that occurred at the railway construction camp in Tupul Yard on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.

New Delhi: With the recovery of 12 more bodies on Friday, the death toll in the devastating Manipur landslide rose to 20, according to officials. According to a report by news agency PTI, of the deceased, 10 are from the Territorial Army.

According to officials, the rescue operation is still underway and as many as 43 are still missing after the rain-induced landslide that occurred at the railway construction camp in Tupul Yard on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.

Here are the key developments on the incident:

• Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, accompanied by top Army and civil officials, visited the disaster site at Tupul in western Manipur on Friday. He had earlier announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each for those injured.


• "In the landslide affected sites of Tupul, Ministers of the state Govt, local MLAs and officials are also camping to oversee the rescue operation. The loss of lives, including our armed forces personnel, is deeply saddening. We still have over 50 missing persons to be found," he said.


• Taking to Twitter, the CM said, “Visited the site in Tupul which was severely devastated by the landslide yesterday and took stock of the rescue operations. Heavy machinery along with 'Through Wall Imaging Radar' have also been deployed to expedite the operation.”


• According to Defence spokesman Lt Col Mohit Vaishnava, search operations conducted by the Army, Assam Rifles, Territorial Army, national and state disaster response force are underway at Tupul, and excavators are being used to pull out bodies from the Ijei River.


• Vaishnava said that around 10 columns of defence personnel have been pressed into the search operation and a joint operational task force is coordinating the efforts to remove the mud and boulders.


• Army's Eastern Command Chief Lt Gen R.P. Kalita met the six injured Territorial Army personnel. They were initially evacuated to Liemakong Military Hospital on Thursday and are now undergoing treatment at the Assam Rifles Hospital in Mantripukhri.


• West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said nine jawans from her state have lost their lives in the incident. "Shocked to know that nine jawans of the Darjeeling hills (107 Territorial Army unit) are among the casualties in the Manipur landslide. Deeply mourn the demise and extend all solidarity and support to the next of kin. Heartfelt condolences," the CM tweeted.


• Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said at least one person from the neighbouring state died in the massive landslide, and 16 others are missing. “Saddened to learn that one person from Morigaon, Assam lost his life, 5 are undergoing treatment & 16 still missing in the Manipur landslide,” Sarma tweeted.


• The district administration has sounded an alert urging civilians living in downstream areas of the Ijei river to evacuate due to the likelihood of breach in the dam created on the river after the landslide.


• Noney Deputy Commissioner Haulianlal Guite warned the locals, especially children, against going near the river. If the situation worsens, it would wreak havoc to the low-lying areas of Noney district, he said.


• Meanwhile, the people have been advised against travelling along the National Highway 37 due to multiple road blockages. The district administration has also launched several helpline numbers for the affected people.