Meghalaya floods: 38 people killed so far, nine still missing

Shillong: The Meghalaya flood situation remained grim with 38 deaths reported while at least nine persons still remained untraced. [caption id=“attachment_1728185” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. PTI[/caption] Inspector General of Police GHP Raju told PTI, “Thirty-eight persons have died due to flash floods and landslides in various parts of Meghalaya and nine persons are….reported missing.” Incessant rains triggered flash floods in the low lying areas of Garo Hills region and severe landslide in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills region for the past three days. Twenty-six persons have died and nine are missing in the three Garo Hills districts along while 12 have died in the Khasi Jaintia Hills region, the IGP said. With certain parts still inaccessible for search and rescue operations the toll may go up, an official of the disaster management authority (DMA) said in Shillong. Over 40 relief camps have been set up in the three worst-affected districts in the Garo Hills region and more than 30,000 people had been shifted to these camps where food and essentials were made available by the district administration, the DMA official said. The NDRF and the Army besides the BSF have also sent their teams aiding the district administration in search and rescue operations. The flash floods and landslide also affected several border outposts of the BSF along the Indo-Bangladesh border in the state, BSF spokesperson said. Parts of the border roads were also damaged and communication networks snapped, he said. Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has asked all line departments to send an official assessment about damages to life and property including agriculture and livestock immediately to the government. PTI