Mizoram CM holds emergency meet as landslides, floods wreak havoc across state

Amid waterlogging and landslides triggered by heavy rains in Mizoram, Chief Minister Lalduhoma called for an emergency meeting with ministers and important officials on June 1.

Officials of the state disaster management and rehabilitation said that landslides were reported in more than 13 places during the day, blocking highways.

At least four houses in Aizawl and 2 others in Serchhip collapsed due to landslides, they said.

Several travellers were also stranded at various places, particularly in Thenzawl, Serchhip and Sialsuk, due to rain-induced calamities, they said.

"So far, 60 houses have collapsed or have been damaged, and 69 others have been vacated due to landslides or mudslides and floods across the state," one of the officials said.

Landslides have occurred in 211 locations in different parts of the state till Sunday, and highways have been blocked at 83 locations, they said.

Officials of the state power department said that at least 7 sub-stations of 33 KV have been damaged and more than one-third area of the entire state is facing power outages due to rains.

The public health engineering department also said that water supply has been disrupted in around 50 places.

During the meeting chaired by the CM, the government decided to take stringent measures against construction and building plans to prevent calamities, another official said.

Landslides and natural calamities during the current monsoon season have claimed the lives of five people so far.

During the meeting, they observed that many of the calamities that occurred in the state were man-made, and agreed that stringent measures be taken against construction, site development, slope modification and other building plans to avoid such disasters, he said.

He said that it was decided to facilitate the immediate release of funds to district disaster management authorities to enable them to expedite various work.

Detailed reports of calamities and the challenges faced by the state government in the wake of heavy rains would be submitted as soon as possible, the official said.

An IMD report said that Serchhip district received 10.46 cm of rainfall in the last 24 hours, followed by Kolasib 9.83 cm and Aizawl 9.74 cm.

Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in the state on Monday, it added.