Heavy machinery like JCBs couldn’t be deployed, forcing rescuers to dig through tons of debris manually using shovels and their bare hands
Digital Desk: A desperate rescue operation in Rupnagar, Guwahati, ended in tragedy on Monday evening after the body of a woman trapped under a landslide was recovered nearly nine hours after the incident.
The landslide occurred at around 11.30 AM and was triggered by constant rainfall that caused a hillside to collapse, flattening a house and burying it under mud, boulders, and uprooted trees. The woman, identified as being inside the bathroom at the time, was feared trapped beneath the debris.
State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and local authorities rushed to the rescue site and started the race against time, which lasted a whole day, however, the steep and unstable land undermined their rescuing tactics. The deployment of JCBs was not possible and rescuers were left to do the digging manually through the tons of debris using shovels and their bare hands.
What further increased the risk of secondary landslides was the loose structure of the soil, which was aggravated by days of rainfall. An uprooted tree and unsteady boulders were lying directly above the suspected area of the woman which made the task even more difficult.
As daylight faded, floodlights were brought in to continue the rescue into the night. Despite worsening weather and growing fears, rescue teams persisted.
The tragic end of the operation was reached at about 8 PM when the lifeless body of the woman was discovered under the rubble. Her death was confirmed by the authorities.
Local people were standing around all day silently observing the rescue operations with hope that ultimately turned into mourning.
Authorities continue to monitor the area for further risks as landslide threats remain high across Guwahati's hilly regions.
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