Seven Makhuam landslide victims remained missing after more than two weeks of search and rescue operation. The total number of bodies found from the landslide debris reached 54, while 18 others have been rescued so far, official sources said.
"The government is trying its level best to find the missing bodies and the rescue operation will continue for the next two days followed by a review meeting on Saturday," Relief and Disaster Management Minister Awangbow Newmai said on Wednesday.
Newmai made the statement while monitoring the search operation works at Tupul railway construction site on the 14th day of the ongoing rescue work.
The massive landslide struck Makhuam (Marangching) village of Noney district on the intervening night of 29 and 30 June causing disastrous consequences.
While no bodies were found on Wednesday, two bodies of victims were found in the river bed area on Tuesday while three are yet to be identified, the minister said.
Meanwhile, in a review meeting held at Noney DC Office, Longmai, Newmai stated that the government will quickly give out compensation of about Rs 5 lakh for each missing person.
The search operation will continue until all the missing persons are found, he assured.
It may be mentioned that 30 different organisations and individuals provided relief material to Noney DC’s office in kind while another 13 provided cash of about Rs 2,61,500.
HAC chairmain MLA Dipu Gangmei, additional chief secretary MH Khan, DC Noney H Guite, SP Noney M Gopaldas, ADC Noney S Khapudang, brigadiers of the Assam Rifles, engineers from the railways, SDRF, NDRF and CRPF officials were also present at the meeting.
Another 18 victims who were injured were rescued alive earlier out of all the 79 landslide victims, according to official sources.
