Shillong: Seven members of a family, including two children, were buried alive in a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall at Atisia Songma village in South Garo Hills, Meghalaya.
Their bodies were recovered on Monday by rescue teams.
The tragic incident has pushed the death toll from landslides and floods in the Garo Hills region to 15.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), which had launched a search operation since October 4, recovered the bodies of Silji R Marak (60), Merina R Marak (39), Sama N. Sangma (50), Chengbe R Marak (22) and her one-year-old daughter Dimse R Marak, Desrang R Marak (14), and Silbera R Marak (8) this morning.
According to the State Disaster Management Authority, 54 villages and 4,954 people from 330 households have been affected by the inclement weather across the Garo Hills. The authority reported that 58 houses have been damaged so far. NDRF and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams are actively engaged in search and rescue efforts.
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In another incident, the bodies of Bijoy S Sangma, a teacher, and his son, Wian Chigado Marak, were recovered from Sonagre Village in Dimapara on Sunday.
The SDRF team, with the help of the local community, also retrieved the bodies of Amerin K Marak and her daughter, Manase K Marak, from Rongjeng Gongdop. Both lost their lives in a mudslide in the area.
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