Twelve people were killed while several remain trapped as a stone quarry collapsed in Mizoram’s Aizawl district amid heavy rain today in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal.
A search operation has been launched to rescue the trapped people, officials said. “All efforts are underway to rescue the people who are trapped under the debris. However, heavy rains are affecting the operations,” said Anil Shukla, Director-General of Police (DGP).
While all schools were shut, government employees have been asked to work from home. Several highways and key roads have also been disrupted by landslides, officials said.
Aizawl has been cut off from the rest of the country due to a landslide on National Highway 6 at Hunthar, officials said. Several highways and key roads have also been disrupted by landslides.
Chief Minister Lalduhoma chaired an emergency meeting to take stock of the situation.
Severe cyclonic storm Remal made landfall between the coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh on Sunday night.
Cyclone Remal damaged fragile dwellings, uprooted trees, and toppled electric poles. Over one lakh people were evacuated from vulnerable areas in West Bengal before the cyclone struck.
The weather office has issued warnings of extremely heavy rainfall across Assam and other northeastern states over the next couple of days.
