9 killed, 5000 displaced in Meghalaya floods

SHILLONG, Aug 17 – Two more persons were killed today and another was said to be missing in flash floods and landslides triggered by unprecedented rainfall in Meghalaya, taking the toll to nine, official sources said today. 23-year-old Jarbish Sangma was swept away by flood waters in Selsella, while 66-year-old Abinash Marak died in Garobandha area in Garo Hills. One person was missing in Tura and believed to have been swept away, Deputy Commissioner, West Garo Hills district, Sanjay Goyal said. Over 5,000 people – around 3,000 in Selsella area and 2,000 in Garobadha area – were displaced as the Ganol and Jinjiram rivers overflowed, inundating large tracts of inhabited and cultivated lands in West Garo Hills district after breaching their embankments, sources said. Six relief camps have been set up at Garobadha, Rangatpara, Garodoba, Hariogaon, Mukdagre and Sankargiri and about 2,000 persons have been provided shelter there, a government statement said. The district administration will be releasing rice, dal and salt for the affected people, Goyal said. An amount of Rs 30 lakh from the Calamity Relief Fund has already been placed with the Deputy Commissioner as advance to meet the contingency. An additional amount of Rs 10 lakh is being released to enable the District Administration to organise effective relief to all the affected areas and people, the statement said. The extent of damage to crops, livestock and property would be assessed once the floods recede, an official said. Personnel from the Home Guards and Civil Defence are being rushed from Shillong to assist the District Administration in the relief operations, the statement said. Road communication between the three Garo Hills districts have also been disrupted and efforts are being taken to restore them at the earliest. Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has expressed his sympathy to the bereaved families and assured adequate relief measures. The situation is being monitored, he said.