Assam Flood: Rain, landslide wreak havoc in Dima Hasao. Army, Air Force called in to rescue stranded passengers
Around 1245 railway passengers of Silchar - Guwahati express, stranded at Ditokcherra station have been brought up to Badarpur and Silchar and 119 passengers have been airlifted by the Indian Air Force to Silchar.
GUWAHATI– Army and Air Force have been called in to airlift passengers stranded in the hilly terrain in Assam’s Dima Hasao district where landslide brought rail connectivity to a grinding halt.
Due to inclement weather and incessant rain, massive landslides and water logging at several locations in Lumding – Badarpur hill section of Lumding division, two trains got stranded, each with about 1400 passengers. These trains are Silchar – Guwahati express stranded at Ditokcherra station and Guwahati – Silchar express at New Haflong station, informed NFR CPRO, Sabyasachi De.
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Massive landslides and water logging resulted in huge damages to the railway track, bridges and the road communications in this hilly terrain. The North Frontier Railway initiated massive evacuation operation with the help of Air Force, NDRF, Assam Rifles and local people.
Around 1245 railway passengers of Silchar-Guwahati express, stranded at Ditokcherra station have been brought up to Badarpur and Silchar and 119 passengers have been airlifted by the Indian Air Force to Silchar.
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Stranded passengers at New Haflong station are being moved to Maibang station by buses. From Maibang station, relief train connectivity up to Guwahati has been provided. 204 passengers have already left for Guwahati from Maibang. The remaining passengers at New Haflong are also being moved to Maibang where another relief train is waiting to take them to Guwahati.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) of N. F. Railway remains on the forefront. They swung into action and rescued stranded passengers by carrying them on their shoulders from one side of the damaged bridge to the other between Ditokcherra and Bandarkhal.
The Railway while putting efforts on rescuing the stranded passengers is taking care of sanitation and ensuring medical facility for every passenger. Food and drinking water have also been supplied to them.
