12 dead, several missing as stone quarry collapses in Mizoram amid heavy rain

Aizawl, May 28: At least 12 people died and several others were missing as a stone quarry collapsed in Mizoram’s Aizawl district on Tuesday following incessant rain triggered by Cyclone Remal, officials said.

Disaster management and police officials said that ten bodies have been recovered so far and several others are still trapped under the debris, that collapsed in the morning.

District management officials and workers, police and other local people were trying hard to rescue the trapped people.

Heavy rain and intense wind speed were affecting the rescue operations, a disaster management official said, adding that they were unaware of how many were still trapped under the debris.

According to the officials, seven of the victims are locals, while the remaining are from outside the state.

The rain-triggered landslides were reported in several other districts and at least two persons have died elsewhere and disrupted the movement of vehicles between the districts.

Several buildings, houses, roads and bridges were swept away due to the landslides and the heavy rain.

Mizoram's capital Aizawl has been cut off from the rest of the country due to multiple landslides on National Highway 6, the lifeline of the mountainous state.

Chief Minister Lalduhoma held an emergency meeting with state Home Minister K. Sapdanga, Chief Secretary Renu Sharma and other senior officials and reviewed the situation.

Mizoram Chief Minister has announced a fund of Rs 15 crore to provide relief to the affected people and an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each would be given to the kin of those who died in the landslides.

All schools were closed and government employees, except those involved in providing emergency and essential services, were asked to work from home.