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Landslides and floods triggered by monsoon showers so far claimed 15 lives besides rendering over 10.5 lakh people homeless in the northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh.
Nine people were killed after a heavy landslide had pushed three dwelling houses into a swelling Rongkhon River at Rishipara near Nakham Bazaar in Tura, the headquarters of the West Garo Hills district in Meghalaya on Friday.
One more person was swept away by strong current of Bugai River at Dalu in the same district on Saturday, according to a senior official in Tura.
The rescue team comprising personnel from the CRPF and civil defence wing recovered bodies of five of landslide victims including that of a 10-month-old male and a 2-year-old boy. The flash floods triggered by incessant rains have so far affected 91 villages in West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya.
Meanwhile, five deaths were reported from different parts of the floods-ravaged Assam ven as flash floods of Lohit rivers created havoc in Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh.
Floods have so far rendered over 10.5 lakh people from 13 affected districts homeless. The situation continued to remain grip throughout the state as the water levels in all major rivers including the Brahmaputra and its tributaries continuing to rise.
The situation turned grave in Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh where the administration was compelled to recruit Pawan Hans choppers to evacuate over hundred flood-hit people so far.
Thousands were stranded in the district that was cut off after flood waters washed away bridges and breached dykes in rivers.
According to the official flood bulletin released here on Saturday evening floods have so far inundated 1202 villages spread over 13 districts in Assam while standing crop over 25,715 hectares of land was damaged due to floods.