Landslides claimed 10 lives in three separate incidents in Hailakandi and Karimganj districts of Barak Valley on Thursday, following heavy rain. The Indian Meteorological Department has warned of heavy rainfall in Assam over the next two days.

Incessant rainfall throughout Barak Valley wreaked havoc during the last 24 hours, leaving most of the roads in Silchar, Hailakandi and Karimganj towns submerged.

Nine persons from two families in Hailakandi and Karimganj districts died, with personnel of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) recovering the bodies after a long battle. The operation of the SDRF, which started this morning, continued in heavy rain. One more person died in a separate incident in Hailakandi.

Apart from Hailakandi and Karimganj districts, houses and roads have been damaged in Dima Hasao district. Train services have been suspended between Lumding and Silchar.

At Teracherra under Lala circle in Hailakandi district, four persons of a family died. Teracherra is about 30km from Hailakandi town. The victims have been identified as Safiqur Rahman Choudhury, 20, Rushna Begum Choudhury, 18, Abidur Rahman Choudhury, 12, and two-year-old Mujahidul Islam. The mishap occurred between 2-3am.

Dalim Uddin, another family member who was seriously injured, said they went to bed after dinner around 10pm when there was heavy rain with wind and lightning. He said it was beyond his wildest dreams that something like this could happen to his family.

The SDRF rushed to the spot in the morning from Hailakandi headquarters, district programme officer of the District Disaster Management Authority, Siju Das, said. The force cleared the mud after about five hours and recovered the bodies. Das said the deceased and injured would get financial relief as per guidelines of the SDRF after verification of documents.

A team of district administration officials, led by deputy commissioner Moloy Bora, rushed to the spot. Bora sanctioned Rs 10,000 immediately to perform the last rites.

At Ramchandi in Hailakandi, eight-year-old Ramiz Uddin Laskar died after he was buried in the mud that fell on his house from a tilla (hill). Four members of the family were also injured and the house was partially damaged. Ramchandi is nearly 10km from Hailakandi town.

In Karimganj district’s Sonaicherra, five members of a family living in a kutcha house died. Sonaicherra is 60km from Karimganj town.

All the family members were sleeping when mud, along with trees, fell on the house at 3am today. Another family of eight had a miraculous escape.

The victims have been identified as Nitai Das, 38, his wife Supriya Das, 30, their two sons Nibhas, 10, and six-year-old Kunal and daughter Mitali, 13.

Several places in Assam received heavy rainfall during the last 24 hours, with Matijuri in Hailakandi district receiving the highest – 313.7mm – followed by Gharmura in Hailakandi with 220mm, Silchar with 211.2mm and Lakhipur in Cachar district receiving 110.4mm.

“Although the state has this year received an excess of pre-monsoon rain, this is a normal phenomenon. In 2010, a similar situation had occurred during this season. The state will receive more rain in the next few days,” Sumit Das, an official of the Regional Meteorological Centre, said.

[Prepared by Animesh Vats from media sources]

  Assam, landslides, rainfall, silchar