Aizawl, 29 May (Zoram News): In the wake of Cyclone Remal's devastating impact on Aizawl, Chief Minister Pu Lalduhoma visited two of the most severely affected disaster sites in the city. The heavy rainfall triggered landslides and floods, causing significant loss of life and property.
Accompanied by Home Minister Pu K. Sapdanga, who also oversees Disaster Management & Rehabilitation, along with several ministers, MLAs, and officials, Chief Minister Lalduhoma conducted a spot inspection of the damage. He expressed his heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost loved ones and valuable property. Additionally, he extended his support and well wishes to the search and rescue teams, volunteers, and all those involved in the relief efforts.
Following this announcement, the distribution of the first instalment of ex-gratia began immediately. The Chief Minister then proceeded to Melthum village, which experienced the highest number of casualties.
During his visit, 12 bodies were recovered from the debris and mudslides at Melthum, 3 from Hlimen, and 2 from Falkawn. These bodies underwent post-mortem examinations at the Melthum Presbyterian Hall.
Chief Minister Lalduhoma and Home Minister Sapdanga personally handed over ₹2 lakh each to the families of eight identified victims from local communities as the initial ex-gratia payment. The remaining ₹2 lakh will be disbursed once all reports are finalized. For non-resident casualties, bank transfers will be arranged upon identification and completion of necessary reports. Additionally, the Chief Minister provided ₹50,000 to the Melthum Branch YMA to cover search and rescue expenses in their locality. Following their program at the Hall, the Chief Minister and Home Minister toured all the rescue operation sites in Melthum. Due to connectivity issues, they were unable to visit the Hlimen site.
After concluding their visit to Melthum, Chief Minister Lalduhoma inspected the landslide damage at Kanan Locality Cemetery, where 51 graves were exposed and destroyed. Local authorities have identified and recovered many of the buried bodies. The Chief Minister allocated ₹50,000 to assist with rescue expenses at this site. The exact number of casualties remains unconfirmed as search and rescue operations continue.
In response to the cyclone, Chief Minister Lalduhoma has allocated ₹15 crore from the State Disaster Relief Fund and announced ₹4 lakh ex-gratia payments to the families of those who died in the landslides. The state continues to grapple with the aftermath of this natural disaster, striving to provide relief and support to the affected communities.