The heavy rains and landslide that occurred today took the life of at least three persons in the State.
These included a school teacher, a teenage boy and a 43 year old man.
Larisuk Mynsong working as assistant teacher at Nongjri Wahskong SSA Upper Primary School under Pynursla Block of East Khasi Hills district died today afternoon after she was swept by a landslide caused by heavy rainfall.
Reports said that the school teacher was on her way home when she was trapped in a landslide.
A 13 year old boy was killed when a tree collapsed on the auto-rickshaw he was travelling in today at around 8:45 am at Panitola area of Byrnihat in Ri-Bhoi district.
The driver of the auto-rickshaw Prakash Sangma (40) and two other female passengers – Lawis Syiem (22) and Stillful Marwein (31) were seriously injured in the incident. They have been rushed to Byrnihat PHC for treatment.
The fallen tree was removed with the help of an excavator and local people. The auto-rickshaw was later towed away from the spot to Byrnihat police outpost.
Sidres Kharsahnoh (43) was killed in a landslide that occurred at Jongksha village under Mawkynrew Block, East Khasi Hills.
“A team from PWD (Public Works Department), Block Development Officer and police were deputed to take necessary action,” a press release from the East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner’s office said.
Meanwhile, flooding was a major issue in the district today, with the DC’s office citing several cases. The Wahumkhrah River burst its banks at Demseiniong. A flood also inundated Hubert Memorial School in Umpling.
A guard wall at the Border Security Force base at Umpling partially collapsed due to the heavy rain but no casualties were reported. Another wall in Madanrting Block C also collapsed, leading to debris spilling over into Madan Hindi Pathshala School. No casualties were reported.
There was also a landslide on the Pynursla Road. The National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd cleared the debris.
Vehicular movement came to stand still in all the national highways across the State with uprooted trees and landslide as rescue teams along with police personnel are pressed into service to clear the roads.
Major rivers and streams overflowed as rain waters manage to seep inside homes.
With further rain expected tomorrow, the authorities have cautioned members of the public to take extra precautions – to stay away from rivers, streams, drains, etc, to avoid driving through flooded roads, stay away from electricity poles and wires and to avoid crossing rivers and streams.
Mawsynram in East Khasi Hills district recorded 483.2 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours. Sohra received 104 mm rainfall, while Shillong and Mawkyrwat received 111.5 mm and 184 mm rainfall, respectively.
