Guwahati, India — A large-scale landslide in a remote area of Manipur, northeastern India, could kill at least seven people and another 55, local officials said Thursday.
After a landslide at a railroad construction site on Thursday morning, rescue workers fought heavy rain and bad weather, pulling 19 survivors out of the rubble, but said they were unlikely to be found anymore.
“There were about 81 people in all. Given that the landslide occurred around 2 am, it is very unlikely that the remaining 55 will survive,” said a local justice of the peace in the Noney district of Manipur. Haulianlal Guite told Reuters on the phone.
This month, unprecedented rain struck Bangladesh, adjacent to the northeastern province of India, killing more than 150 people.
In recent weeks, millions have been evacuated by catastrophic floods and houses have been submerged in some lowlands.
According to a statement by the Indian Army, Army helicopters were waiting at the landslide site to support rescue operations.
“Army helicopters are waiting. The weather is very hostile and more landslides are hampering our rescue operations,” the statement said.
By Zarir Hussain
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