At least 25 people dead in central Venezuela landslide after days of torrential rain and floods

Flooding and days of torrential rain has led to landslide that swept through a town in central Venezuela near Caracas, the capital. It left at least 25 people dead with reports of more than 52 people are also missing. It happened after the banks of five small rivers burst after relentless rain. The cascading waters along with rainfall from surrounding mountains deposited large amounts of mud, rocks, debris and large trees through neighborhoods. Vice president Delcy Rodriguez of Venezuela said one of the worst hit areas was the community of Tejerias. This is located about 40 miles southwest of Caracas. These led to damages to businesses and farmland. The force of the moving water carried away the pumps normally used to power the community's drinking water system. At least 25 killed as landslide caused by floods tears through Venezuelan town. These deaths bring the total number of lives lost in recent weeks to at least 40. The reason is the heavy rains due to the La Nina weather pattern.

The priority for the administration now is to locate people still trapped under mud and rocks throughout the town. In the meantime. The military and rescue personnel are trying to locate survivors. The vice president speaking from a flooded street in Tejerias said - "We have lost boys, girls. What has happened in the town of Tejerias is a tragedy." The state television channel carried images of muddy streets filled with tangled tree branches and large rocks. It seems one of the flooded rivers, the El Pato, swept away several houses and shops.

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Landslide devastates Manipur – at least 20 dead in Chandel

Landslides have devastated Manipur and at least 20 people have died in the wake of the landslides that had been triggered by heavy rain over the past three days at Zopmul in Chandel district.
This has been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 1 August 2015.

The Centre has directed the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to move forces to Manipur to undertake rescue and relief operations. Home minister Rajnath Singh has talked with Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh to assure him of all central assistance to deal with the situation that has resulted from the massive landslides.
Union minister of state for home, Kiren Rijiju, is expected to visit Manipur to take stock of the situation. Massive landslides have also taken place along Phungyar road under Ukhrul district and, all the rivers including the Nambul, Thoubal and Imphal are flowing above the danger level. In Imphal West, the Uripok Kangchup road was reported to be under water at Samushang and Lamphel.
(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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Heavy rains and landslides kill at least 38 in Darjeeling

Heavy rains that led to massive landslides in Darjeeling district of West Bengal have taken at least 38 lives. The death toll could increase as salvage operations continue. Teams of NDRF and NDMA teams are working at the site of the landslide, apart from the SSB and state national disaster teams.
This has been reported in dnaindia.com dated 1 July 2015.

The landslide was a result of incessant rainfall that hit the district and triggered the destruction all across the hills and swept away q number of houses. Due to the landslide, the National Highway - 10 has been cut off leaving hundreds of tourists stranded at the hill station.
Monetary compensations have been announced by both the central and the state governments. The center has announced a sum of Rs. 2 lakh from the PMNRF (Prime Minister's National Relief Fund) to the families of the deceased.
The state has announced that a compensation of Rs 1.25 lakh will be given to those who are injured in the landslide and Rs 4 lakhs to the family of those deceased.
A red alert has been sounded in the Jalpaiguri district also. The Teesta River has overflowed and as nearly 400 people residing in the Dhupguri and Biren basti areas on the banks of the river bank are stranded. Their mud houses have been washed away in the flood. Moreover, the level of water in the Teesta barrage is rising alarmingly and evacuation of people from adjoining areas of the river have started.
(Image source wikimediacommons.org)

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Heavy rains led to a huge landslide that sent mud and water crashing into homes in a town in Colombia`s northwest mountains leaving at least 48 people dead and injuring dozens. Carlos Ivan Marquez, the director of the national disaster unit, has confirmed that there are 48 bodies in the morgue; apart from 27 injured people who have been attended to. Search is on for survivors since many people are believed to be missing.
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 19 May 2015.

It seems the earth slid into the course of the La Liboriana ravine which led to an avalanche. This, in turn, destroyed everything in its path. This has been indicated by the regional police commander Jose Angel Mendoza.
Such natural disasters are due to the degradation of environment – in hilly areas, trees help to bind the soil together but, when trees are cut down, the binding disappears and, when there are heavy rains, the soil hurtle downwards and gathers momentum. The result is devastation and death.
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