Cyclone Remal Devastates Mizoram: Death toll mounts to 28

Landslides swept away 30 graves at Kanan Veng Cemetery while another 40 graves were destroyed at the Kulikawn Cemetery.

The death toll from the severe landslides across Mizoram, triggered by incessant rains induced by Cyclone Remal since Monday has climbed to 28, while several others are missing.

The biggest casualty was at Melthum village on the southern outskirts of Aizawl district where 14 people died as an old quarry collapsed on the residences of local Mizos and non-Mizos yesterday.

Search operations have resumed at the Melthum stone quarry today for the remaining people still missing in the landslides.

State Disaster Response Force, Mizoram (SDRF), CDRT and various Young Mizo Association (YMA) branches are involved in the search operations.

As per inputs, landslides also swept away 30 graves at Kanan Veng Cemetery while another 40 graves were destroyed at the Kulikawn Cemetery.

Meanwhile, Authorities are yet to estimate the total number of houses damaged in Melthum as the focus is primarily on the search and rescue at the stone quarry.

Yesterday, Chief Minister Lalduhoma inspected disaster sites and met the victims. He has also announced Rs 15 crore for victims of Cyclone Remal, with Rs 4 lakh each given as ex-gratia to the next of kin of those who died.

The stone quarry collapse took place due to a heavy rain-triggered landslide trapping the workers inside the stone quarry yesterday.

This is the third such incident in three years in Mizoram.

On December 20, 2023, 7 workers were killed when a stone quarry collapsed in Pukzing village in Mamit district.

In Nov 2022, when the stone quarry at Maudah in Hnahthial district collapsed killing 12 workers.

In the Maudah quarry collapse case, the National Green Tribunal had imposed a Rs 70 crore fine on ABCI Infrastructure, for operating the quarry without environmental clearance.

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