Floods Render 1,500 People Homeless in Meghalaya

Shillong, Aug 17 (IANS): Over 1,500 people were rendered homeless in western parts of Meghalaya as some villages were submerged Wednesday under rising flood waters following incessant rains, officials said. No loss of life was reported. All major rivers in West Garo Hills district were flowing above the danger mark with flood waters entering many low-lying areas and affecting thousands of people, an official said. Jinjiram, Ganol and Simsang rivers -- the three major rivers -- were in spate. A major embankment at Garobadha, between Rangatari and Sonamati villages, had been breached, letting in flood waters from Ganol river into low-lying areas on a large scale. "Preliminary reports from the flood-affected areas of the district suggests that around 1,500 to 2,000 people were rendered homeless and are currently taking shelter in government relief camps," Sanjay Goyal, the district magistrate of West Garo Hills, told IANS. Six relief camps at Garobadha, Rangatpara, Garodoba, Hariogaon, Mukdagre and Sankargiri have been set up to accommodate the displaced, Goyal said. He said Border Security Force (BSF) troopers have been pressed into service to evacuate people from the affected areas to safer grounds. Home Guards and Civil Defence personnel are being rushed from Shillong to assist the district administration in the relief operations. The incessant rains have also wreaked havoc in the South Garo Hills district, bordering Bangladesh, with the main bridge Sibbari collapsing due to the flood waters. "Road communication in the district continues to remain disrupted following landslides at several places," a police officer said. Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said: "We are closely monitoring the flood situation in Garo Hills and the district administration has been asked to take all necessary steps." He said around Rs.30 lakh was with the district magistrate to meet contingencies, while an additional amount of Rs.10 lakh was being released.