Floods, landslips kill 20 in Assam, Meghalaya

Border Security Force jawan killed in South West Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya

People gather near a truck after it crashed as some part of the National Highway-6 caved in due to a landslip after heavy rain, in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district. | Photo Credit: PTI

GUWAHATI

A series of landslips killed at least 13 people across three districts of Meghalaya on Friday, while seven people were killed due to floods in Assam, taking the death toll due to rain across the northeastern States to 88.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma took to Twitter to mourn the death of seven people in East Khasi Hills district’s Mawsynram block and two others, including a Border Security Force jawan, in South West Khasi Hills district.

This followed the death of four people in two separate incidents of landslips in South Garo Hills. While three of a family, including a minor, were buried alive in district headquarters Baghmara, a woman was killed in the Siju area.

“Four regional committees, each headed by a Minister, have been tasked with monitoring the situation to ensure relief for the affected people and ease the movement of vehicles,” Mr. Sangma said, announcing ₹4 lakh to the next of kin of each victim.

Floods in the low-lying areas of the State have cut off large swathes with vital stretches of roads and several bridges washed away. A section of an arterial highway caved in on Thursday cutting off southern Assam, Mizoram and Tripura.

On Thursday, landslips had killed five people in in the State’s East Khasi Hills district. The dead included four minors.

Villagers use a makeshift boat to move to a safer place from a flood-affected area following heavy rainfall in Goalpara district on June 17, 2022. | Photo Credit: PTI

Floods in Assam

Rain continued to wreak havoc on Assam, affecting 11.03 lakh people across 22 districts. According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), the floodwaters claimed the lives of seven people on Friday. Further details were awaited.

At least two people were killed in a landslip in Goalpara district on Thursday while another drowned in Udalguri district.

“A total of 41 people have died in floods and 11 in landslips so far,” a spokesperson of the ASDMA said.

At least 88 people have lost their lives due to rain-induced disasters in three north-eastern States since April. While 52 died in Assam, 31 died in Meghalaya and five in Arunachal Pradesh.