Assam news: Landslide kills 5, including 4 from one family in Karimganj district

Assam news: At least five people, including three minors, died in a landslide triggered by torrential rains in the Badarpur area of Assam's Karimganj district on Tuesday night. 

Among the victims were four people of a single family: a mother and her three daughters. Rescue teams recovered the bodies after a three-hour search operation. 

The deceased have been identified as Roymun Nessa (55 years old), Sahida Khanam (18), Jahida Khanam (16), and Hamida Khanam (11). A three-year-old boy, identified as Mehdi Hassan, son of Mahimuddin, was also among the casualties.

Superintendent of Police Partha Protim Das confirmed the incident, stating, “Five persons, including three minors, died in a landslide in the Badarpur area Karimganj yesterday night.” 

He added, “Last night at 12.45 am, information was received about a landslide in the Gainachora (Bendargool) village area under the Badarpur police station. Upon receiving the information, the officer-in-charge of Badarpur police station, along with his SDRF staff, rushed to the spot and carried out a rescue operation.”

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert forecasting extremely heavy rainfall over Assam, Meghalaya and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Arunachal Pradesh for June 18 and June 19. 

This severe weather has exacerbated the flood situation in Assam, affecting over 1.61 lakh people across 15 districts and claiming 26 lives to date, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA). On Tuesday, one person drowned in floodwaters in Hailakandi district.

In Karimganj district specifically, the floods situation has impacted 41,711 children and over 1.52 lakh people.

The flood waters submerged 1378.64 hectares of crop area in 11 districts, the ASDMA flood report noted. The report added that around 470 villages under 28 revenue circles in 15 flood-hit districts have been affected by the prevailing flood-like situation.

The district administration has set up relief camps and distribution centres where as many as 22,464 flood-affected people are taking shelter.

(With ANI inputs)