CHANDEL, August 2: Three dead bodies believed to be amongst the 20 Joumol villagers in Chandel district, who were feared dead were recovered by Aibol Joupi villagers today.
According to a reliable source, villagers of Aibol Joupi went to the spot of incident after receiving information from the survivors and conducted a search operation during which three dead bodies of women of Joumol villagers including a child were found buried underneath.
The villagers retrieved the bodies and buried them properly in a nearby spot, added the source.
The source also informed that two survivors of the village came to Chahmol village and reported the incident to the Assam Rifle post after which the AR rushed to the spot along with one of the villagers leaving the other at the camp as he was too tired.
The villager who stayed back at the AR camp has been identified as one Lhunkhomang Baite alias Mangpu.
Of of the 20 villagers believed to be buried alive, eight villagers managed to survive and take shelter in a hut throughout the night.
The villagers who survived the tragic incident are identified as Jamlet, Sonpao, Semkhothang, Khamneng, Jamlet, Khanching and Lhunkhomang Baite.
Meanwhile, landslide in other parts of the district washed away houses in another village and a portion of Tengnoupal-Sangshak Road.
In Kharou Khullen village under Tengnoupal, two residential houses were swept away by a landslide. However, there is no report of human casualty in the village due to the natural calamity.
After sweeping down a portion of Tengnoupal-Sangshak Road in between Chehlep Lamkhai and Phalbung Village, a landslide washed away another portion of the road in between Samukom and Simang village under Machi Block.
Speaking to media persons, John Haokip, president of Kuki Student`s Organization Machi Block said that Tengnoupal-Sangshak road is the only lifeline for the villagers of 22 villages. But the recent landslide cut off the road at many places and hampered vehicular movement along the road, he added.
The student leader also appealed to the concerned department to address plight of the aggrieved villagers of the area and take up prompt action for repairing the said road at the earliest.