Three of family die as rockfall buries car near Lengpui airport

Aizawl: Three members of a family — a couple and their daughter — were killed and their their son was injured when a rockfall buried their car while they were travelling near Mizoram's lone Lengpui airport near Aizawl on Monday, officials of Sairang police station said.

Police told TOI that Lalrinliana (68), his wife Lungtiawii and their daughter Vanlalhruaii (24) died on the spot while Lallawmzuala (28), who was driving the car, suffered injuries as the rockfall completely flattened the the vehicle. The family resided in the Falkland neighbourhood in Aizawl city.

Officials said the couple and their son were on their way home from the airport after receiving their daughter Vanlalhruaii who returned from Singapore where she had been working as a nurse.

The bodies of the deceased were brought to the primary health centre (PHC) at Lengpui while Lallawmzuala was taken to Aizawl after being referred by a doctor at the Lengpui PHC.

The village council president of Lengpui, Lawmthanga, said the three bodies will also be brought to Aizawl for post-mortem. Their funeral is likely to be held on Tuesday.

The site of the accident, called Pukpui, is near a small waterfall which has been classified as scoring over 500 on the Rockfall Hazard Rating System (RHRS), which typically indicates a high hazard level requiring immediate stabilisation work. Sudden rockfall incidents have occurred before, making the road dangerous for vehicles plying between Aizawl and the Lengpui airport.