Dozens dead in N-E floods
90 DEAD SO FAR
Five people died in Assam and one in Meghalaya on Saturday, taking the toll in the two states to 39 in the three days. Officials said that 58 people have died in Assam and 32 in Meghalaya this monsoon.
The Met department has forecast rains for northeast at least till June 20, which local authorities said could worsen the flood and landslide situation in the worsthit Assam and Meghalaya.
SILCHAR/SHILLONG: Five persons died in Assam and one in Meghalaya on Saturday, taking the toll in the two northeastern states because of incessant rains to 39 in the past three days, disaster management officials said. In this monsoon season, 58 people have died in Assam and 32 in Meghalaya.
The India Meteorological Department has predicted rains for northeast at least till June 20, which local disaster management officials said could worsen the flood and landslide situation in the worst-hit Assam and Meghalaya.
East Khasi Hills in Meghalaya, where Mawsynram and Sohra are located — the two places recorded 1,003.6 mm and 972 mm of rain on Friday — was the worst affected with nine deaths reported on Friday, when 19 people died because of heavy rains in the state.
Chief minister Conrad K Sangma on Saturday announced compensation of ₹4 lakh to next of kin of each deceased.
Nine people lost their lives in landslides at Dangar, Kenmynsaw, Boro Ryngku and Betgora A villages under the Mawsynram Community and Rural Development (C&RD) block, the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) of East Khasi Hills.
At Dangar in East Khasi Hills, five members of a family were killed in a landslide on Friday. Several flash flood and landslides was also reported in Gillabora and
Kolaibari villages of South West Khasi Hills district.
The landslide at Kenmynsaw claimed the lives of a couple. Some of the sites are cut off because of road damage and therefore, the extent of damage and loss was not known, officials said. The state has sought help of the Border Security Force for rescue operations. Road communication has been severely impeded across the state, with all agencies of the government being pressed into service.
In Assam, five persons died and four were reported missing on Saturday due to rain-related incidents taking the toll to 20 in the past five days. About 2.6 million people across 30 districts have been affected by heavy rains and induced floods, of which 150,000 have taken shelter in 765 relief camps, said state disaster management department.
Due to heavy rainfall, Brahmaputra and eight other rivers across Assam were flowing above danger levels, a Central Water Commission report said. The government appealed to people in flood-affected areas to take shelter in government buildings and schools.
State capital Guwahati remained flooded for the third day in a row, especially at low lying areas such as Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagar, Zoo Road, Six Mile, Bhootnath, Maligaon, Rajgarh Link Road, Hatigaon, Rukimingaon and Gotanagar. Over 234 roads and 16 bridges have been damaged in the rain, hampering road and rail traffic in the state, according to officials.