A massive fire has engulfed the forests in the outskirts of Lunglei town, the district headquarters in south-central Mizoram, since April 24. Massive forest fires that broke out on April 24 & continued to rage till April 26 have affected several parts of Mizoram & damaged vast tracts of land. No human casualty has been reported so far. According to a satellite data assessment by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), there were as many as 2,671 forest fire points in the state between April 20 & 26, with over 400 points on April 26 alone. Speaking to chief minister Zoramthanga, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 26 assured all possible assistance to deal with the situation. The chief minister later thanked Modi and even tweeted a video of an Indian Air Force (IAF) chopper with bambi buckets (used for aerial firefighting), trying to douse the flames. This exercise has become daunting, considering the water scarcity the state faces during the pre-monsoon phase, coupled with a major number of district's resources that are already engaged in thwarting the Covid-19 resurgence. Firefighters from the state government, with the help of Assam Rifles and Border Security Force personnel and local volunteer groups have been trying hard to put the fire out. Watch the video to know more.
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