As hardships mount for the Marangching (Makhuam) landslide rescue operation team in the relentless search for the missing victims for nearly two weeks, Manipur Disaster Management Minister Awangbow Newmai said on Monday that the state government will review the ongoing operation on Wednesday.
The minister was speaking to media persons on the sidelines of his inspection visit at the landslide-affected area in Noney district. He stated that he came to monitor the ongoing operation after chairing a review meeting on Monday.
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On the 12th day of the operation on Monday, two bodies and the missing body parts of an NF Railway employee, whose body was recovered on July 9, were retrieved. Nine bodies still remain untraceable so far.
The minister further said that the rescue operation of the victims of the landslide will continue till it is reviewed on Wednesday.
Considering the hardships faced by the officials and volunteers who had been carrying out the rescue and search operation for 12 days continuously, Awangbow said that the review meeting scheduled Wednesday will discuss providing additional force in the rescue team.
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The minister also requested the Army, NDRF, SDRF and volunteers for full cooperation until all the missing victims are recovered.
It may be mentioned that the minister has been continuously supervising the rescue operation at ground zero of the landslide-affected areas.
So far, the rescue team along with the volunteers has rescued 52 total bodies of the 79 affected in the landslide that hit the camp site of the Northern Frontier Railway and the 107 Territorial Army at Makhuam on the intervening night of June 29-30. At least 18 people have been rescued from the landlside debris. While the moratl remains recovered have been flown to their respective home stations, the injured are undergoing treatment in Imphal, according to official sources.
