Aizawl: A 14-year-old budding footballer was killed and five people injured after a massive landslide swept away two buildings in Vairengte, while a six-year-old girl drowned in a rain-swollen drain in Lawngtlai as heavy monsoon rain battered Mizoram.The landslide struck the Zalen neighbourhood of Vairengte town in Kolasib district, bordering Assam, early Saturday after extremely heavy rain lashed several parts of the state from Friday evening through Saturday, officials of the State Disaster Management and Rehabilitation department said.The teenager, identified as Zodingliana, was a player with Rafael Football Academy and was participating in the ongoing Kolasib Reliance Naupang (youth) League.He was killed when a concrete building owned by Ngamlalliana collapsed. The building housed Ngamlalliana’s family and that of his son, Lalramneiha. An adjoining Assam-type building was also completely destroyed by the landslide.Rescuers recovered Zodingliana’s body at around 7.15am on Saturday. His funeral was held at 3pm.In the other rain-related incident, Ruby Lalrinsiami (6) was swept away in a turbulent drain at College Veng in Lawngtlai town at around 5pm on Friday.Ruby and a friend had gone to a grocery shop near her home when she reportedly dipped her legs into the fast-flowing drain and was swept away. Her father, Lalbawlliana, and a friend recovered her body around 300 metres downstream, below a cascade.A post-mortem examination was conducted at Lawngtlai District Hospital on Saturday, after which her funeral was held.The heavy rain triggered landslides, mudslides and rockfalls at several locations across Mizoram.
