Continuous rain since Friday midnight has led to the deaths of 10 people because of landslides and flash floods in Meghalaya’s Garo Hills, the state government said on Saturday. The heavy rainfall has also disrupted road connectivity in the region.
Seven people died in rain-induced landslides at Hatiasia Songma in the South Garo Hills district while three died in Dalu under the West Garo Hills district. All five Garo Hills districts were affected but West Garo Hills, South Garo Hills and South West Garo Hills bore the brunt of the heavy rain.
A total of 54 villages have been affected in the three districts, leaving 18 roads, one primary health care centre and one school damaged. Among the deceased were a one-and-half-year-old child and a 60-year-old woman. Three people were injured.
Chief minister Conrad K. Sangma had a review on the ongoing flood situation on Saturday and directed the district administration to seek any assistance from the government and ensure relief was carried out in the affected areas and release ex-gratia to the next of the kin of the deceased.
“(The) NDRF team is carrying out the search and rescue operation in the area. Road communications from Dalu to Baghmara and other places have been disrupted due to multiple landslides. Chief minister has directed the administration to identify alternative routes to restore road communication in Dalu–Baghmara area,” a CMO statement said.
The ruling NPP in a post said the chief minister “held a meeting with the Garo Hills District Administration to evaluate the destruction caused by incessant rainfall-induced floods and landslides...”.
The rain in Garo Hills also impacted at least seven villages in downstream Mankachar district in Assam.
The devastation caused by the heavy rain in the Garo Hills on Friday is the latest in a series of natural disasters to have struck the Northeast this year. The MHA had released ₹5,858.6 crore to 14 flood-affected states, including five in the Northeast, this month to meet expenditures incurred while tiding over the devastation. Over 47 people have died in Assam this year.
