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PHOTOS: Floods kill 10; cripple life in Guwahati

September 22, 2014 17:51 IST

At least seven persons killed in flood and landslides triggered by incessant rain in South West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya where about one lakh people from over 200 villages have been rendered homeless so far even as the authorities have been caught off guard in the face of disaster. People rushed to highlands and government buildings while waiting for relief and rescue teams to arrive for their safety.

NDRF personnel use rafts to rescue flood-affected residents after heavy rains in Guwahati

Meanwhile, unrelenting rainfall since Sunday night has inundated many localities in Guwahati, disrupting life. The authorities have raised landslide alarm in certain places like Kharghuli, Chandmari hills following a rain triggered landslide at Kharghuli area. One person has been claimed by flood, one died due to electrocution and another person died due to landslide in the city.

The district administration has instructed all the schools in the city to ensure safe return of students in view of flash flood in many parts of the city and ordered closure of schools till the flood situation improves. 

Flood affected area in Guwahati

Many boats have been deployed by the disaster management authorities to launch rescue operation in flood affected areas in the city. The chief minister’s principal secretary MGVK Bhanu who has been inspecting flood affected areas in the city with the deputy commissioner and other officials informed that disaster management apparatus have been put on high alert and people living in landslide prone areas in the city have been asked to leave their homes and take shelter in safe places.

Flood affected area in Guwahati

He claimed that because of recent eviction drive carried out by the authorities to clear waterways and wetlands in the city, the devastation because of the current spell of incessant rain has been comparatively less than what it was during the devastating spell of flash flood in June this year. A larger part of R G Baruah Road, a major thoroughfare in the city, has been inundated causing serious disruption in vehicular traffic while the arterial G S Road has been submerged at many points.

A flood affected area in Guwahati

Taking stock of the flash flood situation in Guwahati, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has directed the district administration to take all measures to reach out to the people in distress. Control rooms are being set up at the offices of the Kamrup (Metropolitan) district administration, the chief minister's secretariat and the Guwahati Municipal Corporation to monitor and coordinate the rescue and relief operations round the clock, said a spokesman of the chief minister's office.

A man carries a school boy through a water-logged road

For assistance the phone numbers are 0361-2733052; 0361-2237042 and 8811007000, the spokesman said.

With inputs from PTI

The district administration has set up six relief camp while the Border Security Force has set up two relief camps so far to shelter the flood-hit 

K Anurag in Guwahati