Cyclone Remal impact: Death toll touches 37 in northeastern states, Mizoram worst hit

At least 37 people were reported dead on Wednesday due to heavy rains and landslides in four northeastern states, including Mizoram, with dozens still missing under the impact of Cyclone Remal.

The cyclone disrupted normal lives of the people in all the eight states of the region affecting road and rail networks, said the officials. 

 Hundreds were forced to take shelter in relief camps as rain destroyed homes and knocked down power lines. Mizoram has been the worst-hit state in the region.

Cyclone Remal has claimed the lives of 27 people in the Melthum, Hlimen, Falkawn, and Salem Veng areas of Mizoram’s capital Aizwal, the state government said in a release on Tuesday. The bodies of 27 people have been recovered so far by relief teams, with the death toll likely to rise as search and rescue operations continue in the city.

21 bodies have been recovered so far from the quarry site between Melthum and Hlimen in Aizawl, according to disaster management and police officials. 

Several others were still trapped under the debris following the collapse of the quarry. Six people were killed  and many others were missing following incidents of landslides at Salem, Aibawk, Lungsei, Kelsih, and Falkawn in the district.

At least four people were dead in different incidents in Nagaland while over 40 houses have been damaged in various parts of the state. 

The rains, coupled with gusty winds, triggered landslides uprooted trees and electric poles, while also disrupting power and internet services. 

In Assam, many trains were either cancelled or partially cancelled and rescheduled under the Lumding division of Northeast Frontier Railway due to waterlogging between the New Haflong-Jatinga Lampur section and Ditokcherra yard. 

Further, officials confirmed that four people died and 18 others were injured in Assam due to heavy rainfall and strong winds in the state, in the aftermath of the cyclone. In Sonitpur district of Assam, a tree fell on a school bus, injuring 12 children. They were admitted to a local hospital, said authorities.

Heavy rain triggered by Cyclone Remal claimed four lives in Nagaland, damaging more than 40 houses, state authorities confirmed on Tuesday. The NDRF deployed an underwater drone to help with search operations a day after the cyclone made landfall. Devastating wind speeds in the state led to multiple houses and trees collapsing, making rescue operations tricky in the worst-hit areas of the state.

Two persons died and over 500 others were injured as heavy rain lashed Meghalaya in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal, officials said on Tuesday. One death was reported from East Jaintia Hills and another in a car accident in East Khasi Hills district, they said. This brought the total death toll in northeastern states to 37.

While no casualties were reported from Tripura, state government confirmed that heavy rains triggered by Cyclone Remal have forced a total 746 people from 246 families to take shelter in relief camps opened in different parts of the state.

The cyclone made landfall in Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal on Sunday around midnight, with wind speeds reaching up to 135 kmph across the coast. Lakhs were left without power in both India and West Bengal on Monday after power lines were disrupted.

(With inputs from PTI, ANI)