Meghalaya landslide toll reaches 13, more bodies likely to be extricated

With the recovery of two more bodies since last night, 13 bodies have been found from the debris following a landslide which swept away an abandoned government building and nine houses in the northern part of Aizawl on May 11.

Four bodies were feared to be still trapped under the debris, Aizawl SP (Traffic) Lallianmawia said.

"Some parts of the bodies are visible but it will take time to dig them out due to the steep terrain and it will be extremely difficult to dig the concrete slabs over the bodies", he said.

The rescue works were undertaken by the Disaster Rescue team of the state armed police and assisted by trained rescue volunteers of the Young Mizo Association (YMA).

Meanwhile, former chief minister and opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) chief Zoramthanga today demanded that a judicial inquiry should be instituted to investigate the disaster which he described as "man-made".

Zoramthanga said that the disaster was caused by 'criminal negligence' on the part of the Public Works department (PWD) and Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, who holds the PWD portfolio and his younger brother Lal Thanzara, the parliamentary secretary for PWD.

The enquiry must fix responsibilities and those responsible must be punished, he said.

The landslide, that took place in the early hours of May 11, had swept away nine houses in north Aizawl killing eight and leaving about 11 untraced.

A PWD office building, which had been vacated about a year ago after a crack developed on it, collapsed under the impact of the landslide and fell on nine houses below killing the victims.

Monday 13 May 2013

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/1834028/report-meghalaya-landslide-toll-reaches-13-more-bodies-likely-to-be-extricated