Thirteen persons died in Meghalaya on Friday due to heavy rainfall and landslides, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said.
Seven persons died in landslides in the Mawsynram block of the East Khasi Hills district, while two died in the South West Khasi Hills district. One of those who died in South West Khasi Hills was a member of the Border Security Force, the chief minister said.
One person is also missing in the East Khasi Hills district, the office of the deputy commissioner said. The floods and landslides also damaged two houses in the district.
Earlier in the day, Sangma had said that three persons died due to flash floods in Baghmara and one due to landslides in the South Garo Hills district in Siju.
On Thursday, four children died after their house collapsed in Shillong’s Nongspung circle, The Times of India reported. A 25-year-old woman also died after her house collapsed in Jashiar village in the West Khasi Hills district.
Sangma has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the families of the deceased persons.
Meanwhile, the town of Cherrapunji in the East Khasi Hills district received 908.4 millimetres of rain on Friday. This was the highest rainfall in 24 hours that the town received in June since 1998, according to the India Meteorological Department.
The town had received 906.8 millimetres of rain on June 15, which is now the second highest amount of rainfall there in June since 1998.
Cherrapunji is considered to be one the wettest places in the world. The town has received over 800 millimetres of rain in the month of June on nine occasions since the weather department began maintaining records, according to PTI.
The town of Mawsynram on Friday received 1,003 millimetres of rain, which was the highest rainfall in 24 hours in June there since the weather agency starting maintaining records. On June 15, the town received 710.6 millimetres of rain, which is now the sixth highest 24-hour rainfall in June ever.
Tripura to start bus service via Bangladesh
The National Highway-6, or NH-6, in Meghalaya’s Lumshnong Police Station jurisdiction, was on Thursday washed away due to landslides. Due to this, the Tripura government on Friday decided to introduce buses to transport passengers via Bangladesh to other parts of India, The Indian Express reported.
The NH-6, which connects southern Assam, Mizoram, Tripura and parts of Manipur to the rest of the country, was damaged after incessant rains since Monday. As a result, Tripura’s passenger movement has been hampered.
Currently, a bus service operates on the Agartala-Dhaka-Kolkata route. The government is planning to add four more buses that will go through Bangladesh, said Tripura Transport Secretary LH Darlong, reported The Indian Express.
Tripura government has requested the Bangladesh Assistant High Commissioner’s office in Agartala to quickly issue visas to Indian nationals so that they can take the buses.
Essential supplies have not reached Tripura after the NH-6 was damaged in the rains, said Food and Civil Supplies Director Tapan Das, reported The Indian Express.
“Railway connectivity is disrupted from before due to landslides and the roadway is halted now as well,” Das said. “We have got nine days’ petrol stock and five days’ stock for diesel now. More fuel bullets are in transit but they can come once the road is repaired.”
Tripura has requested the Indian Oil Corporation Limited to procure supplies through Bangladesh on an emergency basis.
“Tripura now has 17 days’ stock of liquefied petroleum gas cylinders as per estimated requirement,” Das added.
Currently, the state-run godowns have a rice stock for 20 days. An additional stock of rice is available with market traders that is sufficient for 17 days, Das said.
“Cumulative stock situation of other daily necessities includes pulse stocks for 39 days, edible fuel stocks for 118 days, 38 days’ of onion stock, 35 days’ stock of potatoes, 39 days’ stock of flour, 46 days’ sugar stock and 50 days’ stock of salt,” he added.
Meanwhile, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Thursday urged Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia to increase the number of flights from Agartala to Kolkata, Delhi and Guwahati, North East Today reported.
Saha also requested Scindia to not charge exorbitant prices for flight tickets till the situation improves in the states.
“We will provide financial relief to students and patients and will also write to the Chief Secretary to Meghalaya and NHIDCL [National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited] to repair the road as soon as possible,” Saha said.
Assam toll rises to 46
The toll from Assam floods rose to 46 on Thursday after two persons, including a woman, drowned in Dima Hasao and Udalguri districts, PTI reported.
On Thursday, two siblings, aged 11 and eight, were buried alive in a landslide in the Goalpara town.
More than 11.09 lakh residents across 25 districts have been affected, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority report, ANI reported.
On Friday, 77 villages under the Rangia sub-division of Kamrup district were submerged in the flood, ANI reported. The rain has affected more than 70,000 residents of the district.
“A large part of the Rangia sub-division has been inundated by floodwaters and many families have become homeless,” said BJP MLA Bhabesh Kalita. “Two relief camps have been set up in the Rangia town area.”
Several villages in the Hajo area were submerged after the water level of the Borolia river increased because of incessant rain.
An orange alert has been issued for Assam and Meghalaya till Saturday, warning the authorities to be prepared to tackle intense rainfall.
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