Cyclone Remal triggers rain, leading to quarry collapse in Mizoram; 22 Dead

Due to Cyclone Remal-induced rains, a red alert remains in place for the southern districts of Mizoram, while an orange alert has been issued for northern districts. Schools are also closed

At least 22 people, including two minors, were killed and six-seven others were missing after a stone quarry collapsed in Mizoram's Aizawl district amid continuous rainfall on Tuesday morning, police said.

A four-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl are among the victims in the fatal incident.

The incident happened around 6 am in an area between Melthum and Hlimen on the southern outskirts of Aizawl town. Many are feared to be trapped under the debris, officials said. The ongoing rainfall has further slowed the pace of rescue operations, and the casualties may rise.

 

"We have recovered 17 bodies so far and the rescue operations are going on. We suspect that 6-7 more people are still trapped under the rubble," Mizoram Director General of Police Anil Shukla told PTI.

"We have also rescued two persons alive from the site," Aizawl's Deputy Commissioner Nazuk Kumar said.

Cyclone Remal-induced rains in the state have resulted in landslides in several places. In view of the cyclone's anticipated impact, a red alert remains in place for the southern districts, while an orange alert has been issued for the northern districts.

Officials said a landslide on National Highway 6 at Hunthar has cut Aizawl off from the rest of the country.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Remal weakened into a cyclonic storm over coastal Bangladesh and adjoining coastal West Bengal in the early morning of May 27 and into a depression earlier today. As a result, the northeastern states have been witnessing heavy to very heavy rainfall.

"Light to moderate rainfall at most places, with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places, is likely over Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, and Tripura on May 28," the weather body predicted, advising people to stay at home.

A holiday was declared in many districts of these states in view of the adverse weather conditions.