SHILLONG, Oct 8: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday visited the flood and landslide-affected areas of West Garo Hills, interacting with affected families in relief camps and villages while distributing ex-gratia to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in recent tragedies.
The Garo Hills region has experienced devastating landslides over the past four days due to heavy rainfall, leading to the deaths of 17 individuals across four districts. The South Garo Hills reported the highest casualties, with seven members of a single family buried in a massive landslide.
During his visit, CM Sangma provided an ex-gratia amount of Rs. 4 lakh to the families of several victims who lost their lives in the landslides and floods. In Rongkhon Songgital, he handed over Rs. 8 lakh to the widow of Bijoy Marak, a teacher whose car was swept away by floodwaters, resulting in the loss of his life and that of his 13-year-old son, Wian Chigado R Marak. Sangma also extended his condolences to families affected by the disasters.
Sangma took the opportunity to assess the damages firsthand and engage with local residents affected by the natural disasters. Following his visits, he held a review meeting with the District Administration of West Garo Hills and officials from the Meghalaya State Disaster Management Authority (MSDMA) to evaluate the impacts of the flash floods and landslides in the Dalu C&RD Block.
The calamities have devastated 2,630 households, prompting the District Administration to establish 68 relief camps, providing food and shelter to approximately 17,000 flood and landslide victims. In the meeting, Sangma directed officials to conduct studies of local rivers and flood-prone areas to improve flood mitigation strategies and management initiatives to prevent future disasters. He also instructed for the immediate repair of roads and bridges in the area and ensured the supply of essential items to the affected population.
