Rupnagar landslide victim's body recovered, five families evacuated as precaution
Rescue teams recovered the body of 40-year-old Rima Deka Das after hours of struggle in difficult steep terrain & narrow lanes
Locals gather at the site of the landslide in Rupnagar (AT Image)
Guwahati, September 16: The body of a woman trapped in the debris of a devastating landslide at Rupnagar in Guwahati was finally recovered after several hours of strenuous rescue efforts, on Monday.
The victim, identified as 40-year-old Rima Deka Das, was bathing when a massive rock, accompanied by mud and trees, slid down the Bhangagarh hillside at around 11:30 am, crushing her house completely. While her husband and son managed to escape unhurt, Rima was buried under the debris.
Personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Fire and Emergency Services, and Assam Police were deployed at the site. However, the recovery operation proved extremely difficult due to the terrain.
The affected house was located nearly 150–200 metres uphill from the main road, accessible only through a narrow by-lane and steep staircases. This made it impossible to use heavy machinery such as excavators, forcing rescue teams to work manually.
Speaking to The Assam Tribune, Ajit Kumar Sarmah, Additional District Commissioner of Kamrup (Metro), said, “The rescue operation was severely hindered by the lack of proper road connectivity to the site. Our personnel had to struggle for several hours to retrieve the body.”
After hours of tireless efforts, the teams managed to recover her body from the debris in the afternoon. The body was later handed over to the family.
Authorities said the family had been residing in the area for the past few years on eksonia land.
The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has since directed five other families living nearby to vacate their homes immediately, as the area is among the most landslide-prone localities of Guwahati and has witnessed similar incidents before.