7 dead, 13 injured after landslide at Manipur Train project site

CHENNAI: At least seven people were killed and 13 others injured, and nearly two dozen people feared are trapped under tonnes of rubble after a massive landslide hit a town in western Manipur's Noney district. The incident took place at Tupul yard railway construction camp on Wednesday night.

The landslide blocked the flow of a river, creating a dam-like water body that could lead to flooding if the debris is removed, leading to a complex environmental crisis, according to Noney District Deputy Commissioner Haulianlal Guite.

The obstructed flow of Ijei river, could flood low-lying areas if the situation worsens. The officer has asked Noney residents to take precautions and not let children go near the river.

The district administration has contacted the national and state disaster management agencies for search, rescue and relief operations. The residents, majorly the territorial guards of the major railway line construction site have been asked to be cautious on continuous rain, which may aggravate the situation.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh called an emergency meeting to assess the conditions of the Tupul landslide today.

Mr Singh tweeted that ambulances and doctors have also been dispatched to assist with the operation. People have been advised not to drive National Highway 37, which crosses through this region, due to multiple blocks by landslides and heavy rain in the last few days, according to Defence Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mohit Vaishnava.