20 dead in landslides in south Assam, several injured

At least 20 people were killed and several injured in a series of landslides on Tuesday in three districts of the Barak Valley region of Assam.

Six people in Karimganj district, seven each in Cachar and Hailakandi districts have died due to the landslide early on Tuesday. The region has been experiencing heavy rains for the last couple of days, according to officials, reported NDTV.

Among those dead are seven people in Cachar district, seven in Hailakandi district and six in Karimganj district. Half of the dead are children, government sources said.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has issued orders to the district administration to step up rescue and relief operations and provide one-time compensation to the families of the people who died.

Massive landslides took place in two places in Hailakandi district, where seven people died, including five members of a family. Five others, who were injured, have been rescued, sources said.

In the neighbouring Cachar district, another seven people, all from one family, died. Rescue operations are continuing in the area, officials added.

In Rahimpur village of Karimganj district, another massive landslide killed six people, five of them from a single-family.