NEW DELHI, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Rescuers in India's northeastern state of Manipur on Friday recovered eight more bodies from the mud after a massive landslide, with the number of confirmed deaths in the disaster rising to 16, according to officials.
The landslide hit Noney district early Thursday, around 50 km north of Imphal, the capital of Manipur.
"So far we have safely rescued 18 people including Territorial Army personnel. Yesterday eight bodies have been recovered and today eight more were retrieved from the mud. Now total 55 people are missing," Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said during a press briefing.
According to officials, the landslide has hit a Tupul yard railway construction camp where some people were guarding a major railway line construction site.
"We hope to complete the search and rescue operations within 2-3 days. The soil is so soft that hardly any movement is possible. Heavy rescue machinery cannot pass through," Singh said.
Authorities have urged the Indian army, paramilitary and disaster management response force to carry out search operations.
"A Through-the-Wall Imaging Radar (TWIR) is also being inducted by air to detect the presence of personnel buried in the debris. A search-and-rescue dog is also being inducted," a local media report quoting an official release said.
The landslide has completely blocked a river flowing through Tamenglong and Noney districts.
Officials said the landslide has obstructed the flow of river and created a dam-like water body which is likely to inundate low-lying areas if the debris is removed.
The local administration has issued an advisory to the people living in the low-lying areas and asked them to remain prepared for evacuation in case there is more rainfall.
