Massive landslide kills 16 workers in Arunachal Pradesh

Itanagar/New Delhi: At least 16 persons were killed when a massive landslide triggered by incessant rains hit a labour camp in Tawang district of northeast Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh on Friday.
The incident occurred at 3am when 19 labourers engaged in construction works were inside the camp at Phamla village, 6km away from Tawang town, Superintendent of Police (SP) Anto Alphonse said.
"Altogether 16 bodies have been extricated from the debris, while one seriously injured has been shifted to Tezpur in neighbouring Assam," the Alphonse said, adding two labourers were safe.
He said incessant rains for the past couple of days had triggered landslides in several places of the border district.
All the bodies were recovered in the joint operation carried out by the Army, civil administration, police and villagers, he said.
The PWD road between New Lebrang and government higher secondary school is also blocked due to landslide, while damage to residential buildings has been reported from the area.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed grief over the loss of lives. In a message, the Prime Minister extended his condolences to the bereaved families.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi expressed distress and shock over the loss of lives in the landslide. She asked Congress MLAs, the PCC and the frontal organisations to volunteer in relief work.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Rajnath Singh reviewed the flood situation in Arunachal Pradesh.
Singh called up Chief Minister Kalikho Pul and took stock of the situation in the state following the landslide in border town Tawang and floods in Changlang and a few other districts.
Singh has assured full central assistance to Arunachal Pradesh to tackle the floods situation arising due to a swollen Noa Dehing river.
The Home Minister has asked Director General of National Disaster Response Force OP Singh to rush rescue teams to
landslide-hit Famla village in Tawang, bordering China, official sources said.
Continuous rain in the last couple of days has triggered floods in several districts of Arunachal Pradesh, including
capital Itanagar.
Rain continues to wreak havoc in Namsai and Changlang districts with reports of rising water of the Noa Dehing and the Jengthu rivers inundating fresh areas besides damaging several flood protection embankments.