A calamitous episode unfolded on Tuesday as torrential rains and landslides, wrought by Cyclone Remal, claimed the lives of at least 36 individuals across four northeastern states. The tempestuous weather brought everyday activities to an abrupt cessation throughout the eight-state expanse, with roadways and railways severely disrupted, according to officials.
Mizoram bore the brunt of the tragedy, with 27 fatalities, including 21 in a catastrophic quarry collapse within Aizawl district. Nagaland reported four deaths, Assam three, and Meghalaya two. The deluge, accompanied by fierce winds, instigated landslides, felled trees, and toppled electrical poles, resulting in widespread power outages and internet disruptions.
In response to significant waterlogging between the New Haflong-Jatinga Lampur section and Ditokcherra yard under Northeast Frontier Railway’s Lumding division, numerous trains faced cancellations, partial cancellations, and rescheduling. Mizoram alone witnessed 27 deaths, with 21 perishing in the quarry collapse, and an additional ten individuals missing amid multiple landslides in Aizawl district.
Disaster management and police authorities revealed that 21 bodies had been extricated from the quarry site between Melthum and Hlimen in Aizawl, though several individuals remained ensnared beneath the debris from the morning collapse.
Six individuals perished, and numerous others were reported missing due to landslides in Salem, Aibawk, Lungsei, Kelsih, and Falkawn within the district. In Nagaland, a minimum of four fatalities occurred in disparate incidents, with over 40 homes damaged across various locales.
A young boy tragically drowned in a river near Laruri village in Phek district’s Meluri subdivision, while two additional drowning incidents were reported at Doyang Dam in Wokha district, an official confirmed. An elderly man met his demise when a wall collapsed in Phek.
In Assam, three individuals lost their lives and 17 sustained injuries in Kamrup, Kamrup (Metro), and Morigaon districts. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) reported that a tree branch fell on a school bus in Sonitpur district’s Dhekiajuli, injuring 12 students, while five others were injured in separate incidents in Morigaon.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed his sorrow over the tragic loss of life. ASDMA officials noted severe storms affecting the districts of Bongaigaon, Chirang, Darrang, Dhubri, Hojai, Kamrup, Kamrup Metro, Karbi Anglong, Kokrajhar, Morigaon, Nagaon, Sonitpur, South Salmara, and West Karbi Anglong.
In Meghalaya, two deaths and over 100 injuries were reported as relentless rains battered the state. Officials identified one fatality in East Jaintia Hills and another due to a vehicular accident in East Khasi Hills district. The incessant downpour inflicted damage upon numerous homes across 17 villages.
Landslides were recorded on the Shillong-Mawlai Bypass and Bivar Road in Oakland, while flash floods inundated areas such as Langkyrding, Pynthorbah, Polo, Sawfurlong, and Demseiniong.
Tripura experienced intense rainfall coupled with gusty winds ranging from 50 to 60 km per hour over the past 24 hours, resulting in the destruction of 470 houses and forcing 750 individuals to seek refuge in 15 relief camps spread across various districts.
Addressing the media in Agartala, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Sushant Chowdhury disclosed that the state had received an average of 215.5 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours, with Unakoti district recording the highest at 252.4 mm.
In Arunachal Pradesh, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a high alert, predicting extremely heavy rainfall. Chief Minister Pema Khandu urged the populace to adopt all necessary precautions and avoid susceptible and isolated areas.