Mizoram flood worsens, 1,066 families evacuated

At least 1,066 families have so far been evacuated to safer places due to floods, state disaster management and rehabilitation department officials today said.

The officials said that the worst-hit villages were south Mizoram Lunglei district's Tlabung town and its surrounding villages like Lamthai, Tipperaghat and Serhuan where 700 families were shifted to safer places after their homes were inundated by the flooding Chhimtuipui river along the Mizoram-Bangladesh border areas.

Bairabi town and surrounding villages along the river Tlawng in Kolasib district and Aizawl district including Bawrai, Sairang and Kanhmun villages were also submerged by the flood leaving over 140 families displaced.

Cracks appeared in Bunghmun village in south Mizoram's Lunglei district after which 30 families were shifted to safer places.

Heavy rainfall continued to lash the state again last night and this morning which triggered another massive landslide at Ramlaitui village in Lunglei district which blocked the Aizawl-Lunglei via Thenzawl highway.

Public Works Department's Chief Engineer K Lalsawmvela said that excavators were used to clear the debris while the National Highway No 54, which was swept away by landslide near central Mizoram's Serchhip town yesterday was still not repaired.

Lalsawmvela said that it would take days, if not months, to restore the National Highway as the whole hillock collapsed pulling down around 100 metres of the highway.

Many families were also shifted to safer places in Aizawl city and other places due to landslides and mudslides as their homes were in danger of being swept away while some houses had to be dismantled.