Two instances of landslips, nine hours apart, killed eight people, including an eight-month-old girl, in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday morning.
The first incident happened around 2:30 a.m. at Tigdo village in Papum Pare district. The second one that occurred around 11:30 a.m. was at Modirijo village on the outskirts of State capital Itanagar.
Officials said four people were buried alive in each spot after heavy showers. The deceased included four minors, including the eight-month-old.
Bodies recovered
The State’s disaster management officials said the police and local people retrieved all the bodies from the debris at both sites. Rescue workers managed to save three persons at Modirijo.
“The Modirijo incident happened when rain washed down earth from the dumping site of a highway and engulfed a kutcha house”, Superintendent of Police Tumme Amo said.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu announced an immediate release of ex-gratia of ₹4 lakh to the survivors of the victims.
“Incessant rain in the last couple of days that triggered landslips and flood has left trails of large-scale devastation in the entire State. Reports have been pouring in about landslips in various locations from in and around the capital region,” he said in a statement.
The Chief Minister asked people living in vulnerable areas to be alert while district officials have been instructed to monitor the situation in view of heavy rainfall predicted by the India Meteorological Department.
Landslips in Arunachal Pradesh have so far killed 12 people in less than two months. A woman and her two children were buried alive at Arzoo village in Dibang Valley district on May 26.
On June 25, a minor girl was killed in Doni Colony of Itanagar.
In Assam
Heavy rainfall triggered landslips in Assam also, killing 24 people since May last week. Of these, 21 died in three districts of Barak Valley. Forty people have lost their lives in floods in the State since May 22.
An unconfirmed report said a man died in a landslip in Meghalaya more than a month ago.