Aizawl: More than 80 families have been evacuated to safer locations due to flooding of the Khawthlangtuipui River in south Mizoram’s Lunglei district along the India-Bangladesh border following incessant rainfall over the past week, officials said on Friday.
Landslides, rockfalls and other rain-triggered incidents were also reported from more than 29 locations across the state. However, no casualties have been reported so far, officials said.
In Tlabung town in Lunglei district, located near the Bangladesh border, 42 families were evacuated after their houses were either fully or partially submerged due to the swelling of the Khawthlangtuipui River.
In a similar incident, around 40 families were shifted to safer locations in Tipperaghat village under Tlabung subdivision after flooding inundated the area, including the local marketplace.
Officials said National Highway 54 has remained blocked following a massive landslide on the outskirts of Bualte village in Lunglei district, leaving several travellers stranded in the village for the past four days.
The landslide has also cut off the southern districts of Lawngtlai and Siaha from the rest of the state.
The Aizawl-Thenzawl-Lunglei Highway has also been blocked due to a massive rockfall and landslide at Ngaizel on the southern outskirts of Aizawl.
Officials said several other roads across the state have also been blocked due to landslides and rockfalls triggered by incessant rainfall.
Meanwhile, Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Minister Lalnilawma urged residents to remain vigilant as continuous rainfall has triggered disasters at several locations across the state.
The minister inspected the landslide site near the Ngaizel Filling Station on Thursday and expressed concern over the difficulties faced by affected families. He assured that the state government is fully prepared to respond to any disaster-related emergency.
Lalnilawma said district administrations are continuously reviewing preparedness and response plans to deal with possible natural disasters across the state.
He also assured that financial assistance and other relief measures for disaster-affected people would be provided promptly and transparently in accordance with the prescribed rules and legal provisions.
Appealing for greater public vigilance, the minister advised residents to immediately report landslides, floods or other emergencies to the authorities instead of taking unnecessary risks.