Guwahati: A landslide hit Jorabat early on Friday along a key route connecting Assam and Meghalaya, with no casualties reported.The landslide occurred around 3 am near a petrol pump close to a private university, after large chunks of earth fell from the Meghalaya side and entered the station. The impact damaged parts of the fuel dispensing unit and other machinery, and hit a bus parked inside the station.“There was no significant damage or hindrance to moving vehicles, and currently the dispatched excavators are clearing out the soil debris,” an official from Kamrup (Metro) district administration said.The official said rampant hill cutting was one reason behind such incidents. He added that illegal earth cutting in hilly areas could increase the risk of erosion and landslides, block drains and threaten lives and property.“Earth cutting in hill areas is prohibited as it can increase the risk of erosion and landslides and pose a threat to life and property in adjoining areas. Such activities can also have implications for Guwahati, as they can lead to drainage blockages and cause environmental damage,” he added.Experts said the impact of hill cutting need not be immediate, as changes to a slope can weaken its stability over time, with intense rainfall potentially triggering a landslide years after the earth is removed.An employee of the petrol pump told the media: “The hill was approximately 15 metres away from the petrol pump. After a few small rocks began falling, our employees, who were inside a building, quickly evacuated the premises. We do not know what caused the incident, but there was no work taking place on site, and there was no rain at the time.”
