A devastating landslide struck the Mathgharia area of Guwahati early Tuesday, claiming the lives of three members of a single family after a portion of a hill came crashing down onto their residence. The incident unfolded around 8 am near Lakshmi Mandir when the collapsing hillside buried the dwelling under tons of debris, trapping the occupants completely off guard.
Tragic Predicament and Rescue Operations
According to a senior police officer, the family was fast asleep when the disaster struck, leaving them no chance to escape as the mass of earth and a massive stone fell directly onto their house. The deceased individuals were identified as Nagen Rajbongshi, Meena Rajbongshi, and Sanu Rajbongshi, which included the daughter of the family. Authorities confirmed that the victims were pronounced dead at the scene.
Local residents noted that the deceased father worked as a daily-wage laborer and had been residing in the vulnerable locality alongside his family and two minor children for several years. Swiftly responding to the emergency, teams from the district disaster management department and various security personnel rushed to the site to launch a comprehensive rescue operation. The recovered bodies were subsequently transported to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital for postmortem examinations.
Sole Survivor and Official Assessments
Amid the wreckage, rescue teams managed to pull out the son of the family alive from the debris. He was immediately rushed to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, where he remains under medical care for his injuries. Kamrup Metro Deputy Commissioner Swapneel Paul stated that the family had been living dangerously close to the hill when a massive boulder crushed their home, resulting in three immediate fatalities.
Incessant Rains Trigger Widespread Disruption
Officials and locals suspect that the fatal landslide was directly triggered by the relentless downpour that has been lashing the city since early Tuesday morning. The continuous precipitation has also caused severe waterlogging and artificial flooding across multiple neighborhoods, disrupting normal daily routines and severely inconveniencing commuters trying to navigate the flooded streets.
