13 more bodies recovered, 42 still untraceable
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, July 01 2022: On the second day of the search and rescue operation at the Tupul landslide location in Makhuam village of Noney district, 13 bodies including eight Territorial Army personnel were recovered on Friday while 42 people are still untraceable.

A Joint Task Force comprising Army, Assam Rifles, NDRF, SDRF, CRPF, Army Medical Doctors, MMTA, state police, Manipur fire service and local villagers has been carrying out the search and rescue operation using more than 20 excavators.

According to IGAR (East), Through Wall Radar has arrived from Leh on Friday and with the help of the device, the operation is gaining momentum.

At the same time, Manipur Fire Service is using victim locating cameras and thermal imaging cameras to search for victims amid the debris.

At least 81 people including railway official, BIPL official, TA personnel, labourers and local villagers went missing in the landslide.

Eight bodies were found and 18 others rescued on the first day of the operation.

Seven out of the 8 dead victims were TA personnel.

On the second day of the operation, which began from early morning Friday, 13 bodies including eight of TA personnel were found along with some service weapons of TA.

Till the time of filing this report, 39 people have been found which include 18 survivors.

Authorities believe that at least 42 individuals are still missing.

The missing persons include 27 civilians.

The incident took place at Tupul yard railway construction camp on Thursday early morning.

The landslide also struck the company location of 107 Battalion Territorial Army under 11 Gorkha Rifles, deployed near Tupul Railway Station in Noney district for protection of the under-construction railway line from Jiribam to Imphal.

Talking to EastMojo on Friday, chief minister N Biren Singh said: "Rescue operations have been going on since the incident, but we have not been able to reach the spot due to continuous rains and landslides.

Rescuers have tried to reach some part of the area since yesterday and recovered 8 bodies and rescued 18 people" .

Two of the bodies recovered during the early morning search belong to the Territorial Army while others are yet to be identified.

Rescue operations continue, amid poor weather conditions with the additional support of NRDF, Assam Rifles, district police, Indian Red Cross Society, local volunteers and others, an official said.

Eastern Command General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Lt Gen RP Kalita met the injured Territorial Army personnel who were initially admitted to Leima kong Military Hospital on Thursday.

They are now being provided medical aid at the Assam Rifles Hospital at Mantripukhri, another official said.

Chief Minister N Biren had 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.

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