Landslides, floods hit life in N-E

Landslides and flash floods triggered by heavy rain have thrown normal life out of gear in the North-East.

In Assam, about two lakh people are affected and in neighbouring Meghalaya, a massive landslide in East Jaintia Hills and flash floods in the state capital Shillong have created havoc. Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh which received massive rainfall for the past three days is also severely affected. In Nagaland, landslides have completely cut-off many remote areas.

According to sources in Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), about 2 lakh people have been affected by flash floods in different parts of the state in the past 48 hours. The most affected are the plains of lower Assam. More areas of Kokrajhar, Chirang and Bongaigaon districts of Assam were inundated on Wednesday.

In Assam, 282 villages are marooned, of which 87 are in Kokrajhar and 76 in Bongaigaon districts. Over 12,627 hectres of standing crop has washed away in flood waters, sources added.  Sources also said that 45 relief camps have been opened in the state, of which 34 are in worst affected Kokrajhar district. Nearly 18,000 people are in relief camps.

Although no loss of life has been reported in Assam, in lower Assam there has been substantial damage to roads and irrigation infrastructure.

In Meghalaya, the surging waters of the river Ganol washed away a 9-year-old school girl on Tuesday night, sources added. The state government on Wednesday asked all schools in West Garo Hills district to remain shut for the next 48 hours.

Meanwhile, massive landslides on National Highway 44 in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills, that connects Tripura, Mizoram and Assam’s Barak Valley by road to the rest of the country has caused massive traffic jam.