Landslide, Blockade Cuts Off Mizoram, Manipur and Tripura

Shillong, May 12 : Road links to the northeastern states of Tripura, Mizoram and parts of Manipur and southern Assam remained cut off from the rest of India for the second day Wednesday following massive landslides at a major highway in Meghalaya.

The National Highway No 44 at Sunapur and Tongseng in Jaintia Hills district in eastern Meghalaya, bordering Assam, has been blocked since Tuesday morning after heavy rains triggered landslides with huge boulders and trees covering the road.

Sunapur and Tongseng, about 150 km from the Meghalaya capital Shillong, is a landslide prone area and is linked with National Highway No 40 connecting Shillong and Guwahati in Assam, the gateway to mainland India.

'Our men are working round the clock to restore the vital link,' Jaintia Hills district Deputy Commissioner Tining Dkhar told IANS.

The General Reserve Engineering Force (GREF) which maintains roads in the region is using heavy machinery to clear the rubble.

Hundreds of passengers vehicles and trucks carrying essentials have been stranded on both ends of the landslide-hit road. Passenger vehicles were also stranded on the national highway, which is the lifeline for landlocked Tripura and Mizoram.