Tura: Incessant rains over the past few days, along with a sudden downpour late last night, left three people dead and four others injured, as Garo Hills in Meghalaya faced widespread devastation.
The death toll is expected to rise as information is still awaited from the severely affected South Garo Hills, particularly the Gasuapara region.
The districts of South, West, and South West Garo Hills were the worst hit by the torrential rains. The three deceased have been identified as Santa N Marak (Koinabui), Mairdo P Marak (Sorokpara), and Sarika M Marak (Karongre), all from the Dalu C&RD Block. Two individuals sustained minor injuries from mudslides, while two others with more serious injuries are receiving treatment at Tura Civil Hospital and Dalu CHC.
Early this morning, Garo Hills residents woke up to news of bridges being washed away, landslides, mudslides, and floods, with network connectivity in the affected areas cut off. The West, South, and South West Garo Hills administrations are mobilizing all resources to assess damage and ensure public safety.
West Garo Hills, particularly the Dalu C&RD Block, bore the brunt of the devastation, with three fatalities reported. A timber bridge connecting Dalu to the village of Kujikura was washed away, isolating the area. In Tura town, multiple landslides occurred, injuring three people. A significant mudslide near the Circuit House narrowly missed injuring a man, though his car was damaged.
Speaking on the situation, West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner (DC) Jagdish Chelani informed that one village in Dalu was completely inundated, and residents have been moved to relief centers.
He informed that rations and other necessities were distributed to about 3,000 people for the next two days. Due to fallen power lines, electricity has been disconnected in the Dalu area. However, roadside debris has been cleared, enabling travel.
Chelani added that Tura, which also experienced landslides, had some respite when rains subsided in the afternoon. Disaster management teams and a section of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are on the ground, with rescue operations set to resume by Saturday.
Chelani informed that the region is expected to witness more rain, and additional relief centers have been identified, including 160 tarpaulin sheets distributed to those affected.
South Garo Hills, already struggling with inadequate infrastructure, was hit hard by the rains. The Simsang River was flowing dangerously close to the Baghmara Bridge, threatening flooding. The lack of network connectivity has complicated efforts to assess the damage, with many areas still cut off and yet to report the extent of the destruction. There are concerns that more lives may have been lost in isolated areas.
South Garo Hills DC informed that reports from field officers are awaited due to poor network reception. A bridge on the border road near Dumnikura was also washed away, severing the road link between Baghmara and Karonggre.
In South West Garo Hills, flooding submerged several areas by the afternoon, prompting school closures. Mudslides and landslides were prevalent, and power supply was disrupted, though restored in most areas by late afternoon. Assessment of damage is ongoing, with the Rerapara and Zikzak C&RD Blocks reporting significant flooding, especially in Garobadha, Mellim, and Mahendraganj.
While there was no major damage in the district, some houses were flooded, and a few roads were blocked, which we cleared once the rains subsided, Regina Marak, the DC informed.
The districts of East and North Garo Hills largely remained unaffected. However, authorities are monitoring the situation closely as the Simsang River in East Garo Hills continues to hover near the danger mark, with more rains forecast. North Garo Hills reported no significant incidents.
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