Three of family among 5 killed in landslides in Tripura

Agartala, Aug 20 (PTI): At least five people, including three members of a family, were killed and one villager went missing after landslides triggered by incessant rain occurred at three places in Tripura, police said on Tuesday.

The three members of a family died at Debipur in South Tripura district when their house collapsed due to a massive landslide on Monday night, Santirbazar Sub Divisional Magistrate Abhedananda Baidya told PTI over phone.

The deceased were identified as Trisankar Chakma, his wife Rajini and his daughter Binita.

Mauai Reang, aged 52, was killed in a landslide in Gumati district’s Karbook area on Monday, while another villager went missing, Additional District Magistrate (ADM) BB Das said.

A 14-year-old boy died when mounds of earth fell on his house in Champlai area in Khowai district on August 19, a police officer said.

Chief Minister Manik Saha on Tuesday instructed the district administrations to take appropriate action to prioritise public safety and mitigate the impact of the natural calamity.

Many low-lying areas of the Santirbazar subdivision have been submerged due to heavy rain, Baidya said.

Water was flowing above the danger level in Muhuri and Lawgang rivers and four relief camps were set up for the flood-affected people in the subdivision, he said.

“Due to heavy rain, several areas in South Tripura and other districts are experiencing flooding. In response, relief centres have been set up to provide support to those affected. The district administrations have been instructed to take appropriate action to prioritise public safety and mitigate the impact of the flooding,” the chief minister wrote on Facebook.

Tipra Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma appealed to the chief minister to ask the district magistrates to immediately provide relief to those affected by landslides and floods.

“The large-scale landslides in Tripura have affected many lives and homes in rural Tripura. I appeal to CM Dr Manik Saha to kindly instruct the respective department, DMs to immediately provide relief to the victims”, he wrote on X.

The Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) administration has been asked to keep vigil in local areas.