36 hours of heavy rains trigger landslides in Meghalaya, 5 killed

Five persons were killed on Tuesday in two separate incidents of landslips triggered by incessant rains in Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district.

In the first incident, four members of a family, namely two women and two children, were killed at the Nahkham bazaar area after loose soil fell on their home, Deputy Commissioner Pravin Bakshi told PTI.

A 70-year-old man was reported injured at Akkongre in another landslip, near the residence of the deputy commissioner, he said. The old man was declared brought dead at the Civil Hospital, Bakshi added.

The district administration has declared a Rs 4 lakh ex-gratia relief to the next of kin of each of the deceased as per the new norms of the National Disaster Response Fund and the State Disaster Response Fund which is applicable from April 8 this year, Bakshi said.

"We are trying to locate the next of kin of all those who died due to the calamity before monetary relief could be disbursed," he said.

According to the district administrator, heavy rains lashing the area in the past 36 hours have triggered loose earth to move causing at least four other major landslips and landslides in the district headquarters.

Last week, four persons, including three women, died while two others were injured in another landslip along the NH 44 in the state's East Jaintia Hills district. It took the district administration more than 24 hours to clear the National Highway 44 which connects Tripura, Mizoram and Assam's eastern Barak valley to the rest of the country.

The meteorological department has forecast heavy to extreme rainfall in isolated places in the state in the next 72 hours. Police stations and block development offices have been asked to remain vigil in case there is any emergency arising out of the weather conditions and an emergency operation centre has also been put on standby, the government had said.

Image: Representation picture