Landslides brought on by days of heavy rain have left four people dead – including three children – in two different locations in Garo Hills and Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma will visit Garo Hills tomorrow to take stock of the situation.
Three members of a family – a mother, Pritish Ch Marak (38) and her two children – were killed when a landslide struck the village of Jewalgre, West Garo Hills, police informed.
In another incident, a two-year-old died when a house was destroyed by a landslide in Sonamati village, in South West Garo Hills, today morning.
Speaking to the press following a cabinet meeting today, the CM said that water levels are rising and the situation is serious in several parts of the state.
Dramatic footage filmed by members of the public show the moment when a wooden bridge over the Bugi River was washed away by the swollen waters.
Sangma, who will travel to the region tomorrow, said that district administrations have been put on high alert, especially in South West Garo Hills, South Garo Hills and West Garo Hills.
Deputy Commissioners have been instructed to release ex-gratia financial assistance immediately to the next of kin of the victims.
“We are keeping a watch on it closely. Of course these are natural calamities and it is not something we can stop but we have to ensure that minimum inconveniences are caused to the people and whatever support that is required will be given by the government and by the administration,” Sangma said.
South West Garo Hills has seen 26 villages affected by flooding. Three homes have been completely destroyed and another 43 partially damaged. Two nurses trapped inside the flooded Mellim Health Sub-Centre were rescued by heroic locals who jumped into action, risking their own lives, to save the helpless medical professionals. Water supply may be affected by damage to pumping machines but efforts are on by the Public Health Engineering Department to restore it.
Many roads connecting villages and the district headquarters of Ampati have been cut off by landslides, fallen trees and floods. A number of cars in the area have also been swept away by floodwaters, according to reports.
