Five more bodies recovered, landslide toll rises to ten

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

Itagar, July 2: With recovery of five more bodies Saturday morning, the toll in Friday’s landslide at Bhalukpong in West Kameng district of Aruchal Pradesh rose to ten.

The rescue operation which was suspended last evening was resumed early morning on Saturday, West Kameng SP A Koan informed over telephone.

The bodies extricated from the debris today are females including three minors who are identified as Pinky Boro (40), Miali Chetry (40), Niky Boro (10), Juala Chetry (10) and 9-month-old Angel Lenua, the SP said.

The incident occurred when a massive landslide buried several houses at Upper Bhalukpong which is being lashed by torrential rains in the past couple of days.

Four peple who sustained minor injuries were being admitted at Bhalukpong Community Health Centre (CHC). A NDRF team from Doimukh, near here, reached Bhalukpong late night and joined the rescue operation along with local police, ITBP personnel and locals in the break of dawn.

To meet up fincial needs for carrying out relief and restoration works, Chief Minister Kalikho Pul yesterday directed the district administration to use the fund of Rs 30 lakhs at their disposal. He further informed that an additiol fund of Rs 1 crore would be placed under West Kameng DC for carrying out the restoration activities.

According to an official report, the torrential rain that triggered landslides on a road near Tippi has caused substantial damage to the school buildings, circuit house and storehouses of PHE, PWD, WRD and RWD departments and has flooded the local police station.

This is the second time that landslide tragedy struck Aruchal Pradesh this year.

Earlier on April 22 last, fifteen labourers and a supervisor were killed after a landslide buried their camp near a private hotel construction site at Phamla in Tawang district bordering Chi.