Editor's Pick | Northeast bears brunt of cyclone Remal

Storms and rainfall-induced landslides associated with cyclone Remal killed at least 31 people and injured several others across three northeastern States on Tuesday Mizoram was the worst affected with 27 confirmed deaths in four incidents of landslides. Officials in the State said the death toll could be more than 30 as an “uncertain number” of people have been reported missing, some buried under debris. Assam followed with three storm-related deaths — one each in Kamrup, Kamrup (Metropolitan), and Morigaon districts. One person died in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills after a wall collapsed due to heavy rainfall. Disaster management officials in the three States said the rains, accompanied by winds with speeds of up to 60 km per hour, uprooted trees and electric poles, triggered landslides, and disrupted power and Internet services. Some parts of Assam, Meghalaya, and Mizoram are without power since Tuesday midnight. A Mizoram government report collated from the District Disaster Management Authorities said 14 people, including two minors, were killed and one injured when a stone quarry collapsed on National Highway 6 — the State’s lifeline — near Melthum close to capital Aizawl. Landslides at Hlimen, Salem, Falkawn, Aibawk, Lungsei, and Kelsih in and around Aizawl killed 13 others. Eight people were reported missing from the site where the stone quarry collapsed. More people were missing elsewhere in the State, officials said. Aizawl and adjoining areas have been landslide-prone with several areas marked sinking zones. Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma announced an ex gratia of ₹4 lakh each for the next of kin of the local people who died. “We have earmarked ₹15 crore to tackle disasters triggered by rains induced by the cyclone,” he said. The State’s Home Minister, K. Sapdanga, said fiscal relief would not be provided to the family members of at least four non-locals who died at the stone quarry. He also said the government ordered the closure of all educational institutions and government offices barring those rendering essential services. On Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department issued a red alert for Arunachal Pradesh with a forecast of extremely heavy rainfall on Wednesday. Chief Minister Pema Khandu has requested the people of the State to take all precautionary measures and avoid vulnerable and isolated locations. Elsewhere in the country, six lives were lost in various parts of Kerala after heavy rain before the monsoon arrives in the State. Many low-lying areas in Kochi were inundated. The rain gauge at Cusat (Cochin University of Science and Technology) recorded 103 mm of rain in an hour on Tuesday morning. Several areas were closed off to tourist entry as a precaution. The Hindu’s Editorial Turnout conundrum: On stocktaking on voter participation The last lap: On the French Open The Hindu’s Daily Quiz The Dakhni language, which shares the Perso-Arabic script with Urdu and Farsi, is unique to which of the following State? Gujarat Uttarakhand Telangana West Bengal To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 29 May 2024 [The Hindu logo] [EP Logo] Editor's Pick 29 May 2024 In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [View in browser]( [More newsletters]( Northeast bears brunt of cyclone Remal Storms and rainfall-induced landslides associated with [cyclone Remal killed at least 31]( people and injured several others across three northeastern States on Tuesday Mizoram was the worst affected with 27 confirmed deaths in four incidents of landslides. Officials in the State said the death toll could be more than 30 as an “uncertain number” of people have been reported missing, some buried under debris. Assam followed with three storm-related deaths — one each in Kamrup, Kamrup (Metropolitan), and Morigaon districts. One person died in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills after a wall collapsed due to heavy rainfall. Disaster management officials in the three States said the rains, accompanied by winds with speeds of up to 60 km per hour, uprooted trees and electric poles, triggered landslides, and disrupted power and Internet services. Some parts of Assam, Meghalaya, and Mizoram are without power since Tuesday midnight. A Mizoram government report collated from the District Disaster Management Authorities said 14 people, including two minors, were killed and one injured when a stone quarry collapsed on National Highway 6 — the State’s lifeline — near Melthum close to capital Aizawl. Landslides at Hlimen, Salem, Falkawn, Aibawk, Lungsei, and Kelsih in and around Aizawl killed 13 others. Eight people were reported missing from the site where the stone quarry collapsed. More people were missing elsewhere in the State, officials said. Aizawl and adjoining areas have been landslide-prone with several areas marked sinking zones. Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma announced an ex gratia of ₹4 lakh each for the next of kin of the local people who died. “We have earmarked ₹15 crore to tackle disasters triggered by rains induced by the cyclone,” he said. The State’s Home Minister, K. Sapdanga, said fiscal relief would not be provided to the family members of at least four non-locals who died at the stone quarry. He also said the government ordered the closure of all educational institutions and government offices barring those rendering essential services. On Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department issued a red alert for Arunachal Pradesh with a forecast of extremely heavy rainfall on Wednesday. Chief Minister Pema Khandu has requested the people of the State to take all precautionary measures and avoid vulnerable and isolated locations. Elsewhere in the country, six lives were lost in various parts of Kerala after heavy rain before the monsoon arrives in the State. Many low-lying areas in Kochi were inundated. The rain gauge at Cusat (Cochin University of Science and Technology) [recorded 103 mm]( of rain in an hour on Tuesday morning. Several areas were closed off to tourist entry as a precaution. The Hindu’s Editorial [Arrow][Turnout conundrum: On stocktaking on voter participation]( [Arrow][The last lap: On the French Open]( The Hindu’s Daily Quiz The Dakhni language, which shares the Perso-Arabic script with Urdu and Farsi, is unique to which of the following State? - Gujarat - Uttarakhand - Telangana - West Bengal To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here](. [Sign up for free]( Today’s Best Reads [[Watch|  The Trial of Pataliputra | Election 360] Watch|  The Trial of Pataliputra | Election 360]( [[Delhi hospital fire: Police to check call records of owners, question on-duty doctor] Delhi hospital fire: Police to check call records of owners, question on-duty doctor]( [[Swati Maliwal assault case: Court sends Bibhav Kumar to three-day police custody] Swati Maliwal assault case: Court sends Bibhav Kumar to three-day police custody]( [[PM Modi to meditate at Tamil Nadu’s Vivekananda Rock Memorial to mark culmination of Lok Sabha campaign] PM Modi to meditate at Tamil Nadu’s Vivekananda Rock Memorial to mark culmination of Lok Sabha campaign]( Copyright© 2024, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. If you are facing any trouble in viewing this newsletter, please [try here]( Manage your newsletter subscription preferences [here]( If you do not wish to receive such emails [go here](