AIZAWL, Jun 19 : So far 12 people have lost their lives and 877 dwelling houses destroyed due to landslides and flash floods triggered by incessant rains that lashed Mizoram from June 9, an official report said today.
The record maintained by the Mizoram State Disaster Management and Rehabilitation department since June 9 said that at least ten people including a 3-year old boy have died in Tlabung sub-division area in south Mizoram’s Lunglei district, while one person each died in Aizawl and Serchhip districts during the past 11 days due to massive landslides and flash floods.
The Mizoram State Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Department also stated that as many as 877 houses have been damaged by landslides and floods triggered by incessant rainfall and of these 220 were either badly or completely damaged while 657 houses were partially damaged.
Lunglei district faced the worst situation with 165 houses being completely damaged and 299 partially damaged, followed by Lawngtlai district where 51 houses were completely destroyed and 280 partially damaged.
Besides, 4 houses in Siaha district were also completely destroyed by landslides, the official report said.
In Aizawl district, 65 houses were partially damaged while 14 houses in Mamit district and 9 in Serchhip district were also partially damaged by landslide and heavy rains.
The flood also damaged 137 hectares of cultivated areas in different parts of the State and 62 fish ponds in Kolasib district.
Unofficial sources said that over 2000 families have been affected by floods and landslides and over 30 houses have been swept away by flash floods in Tlabung sub-division area near Bangladesh border.
The Government of Mizoram last Wednesday set up a High Level Committee headed by Home Minister R Lalzirliana to assess the flood situation.
Meanwhile, some NGOs including Mizo Zaimi Insuikhawm (MZI), Mumbai based Getto, Delhi based NGO Goonj and the Salvation Army International Headquarters in London are raising funds in aid of Mizoram flood victims.
Mizoram has become a disaster prone area vulnerable to landslides due to torrential rains. Though a landlocked and hilly State, it is not free from flood as well, as vast areas have been under water due to the flooding of rivers.
Source: The Sangai Express
