Five more people have died in flashflood-related incidents in Meghalaya's Garo Hills region on Sunday, taking the total number of deaths to 15 in the last two days.
A senior official of the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) said that they were identified as Bijoy S Sangma and his son Wian Chigado R Marak, Amerin K Marak and her daughter Manase K Marak and Thenseng R Marak. In the first incident, the father and son were washed away by flash floods while travelling on a road below the Dimapara bridge in the West Garo Hills district.
In Gongdop village in East Garo Hills, a woman and her daughter were killed in a landslide on Sunday. These died when a tree fell on a vehicle he was driving in Songsak Reserve Forest in the East Garo Hills district. On Saturday, at least 10 people died, including 7 of a family when flash floods triggered a landslide that engulfed their home in West Garo Hills district. Among the deceased were three minors.
Visuals From Landslides Hit Areas
The death toll of floods and landslides in Meghalaya's West Garo Hills and South Garo Hills districts has increased to 15, said CMO.
"The bodies of Bijoy S Sangma, a teacher by profession and his son, Wian Chigado Marak have been retrieved from Sonagre Village in Dimapara. Meghalaya Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma and MLAs Sengchim N Sangma and Kartush Marak visited the landslide area at Hatisia Songma to take stock of the situation," Chief Minister Office, Meghalaya said.
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Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had held a review meeting on the situation across the five districts of Garo Hills. Sangma had also ordered immediate ex gratia payment to the next of kin of the deceased, officials said.
The personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and SDRF have been deployed and are carrying out search and rescue operations in the worst-affected areas of the districts, they said. During the meeting, the Chief Minister suggested the use of Bailey Bridge technology for rebuilding efforts, which will allow for rapid assembly and transportation, the officials added.