Over one lakh people affected as Brahmaputra, Jingiram waters inundate several villages
TURA/SHILLONG: West Garo Hills was on Monday declared as flood hit district after the swollen Brahmaputra and Jingiram rivers submerged several villages of the district.
Two other districts — East Garo Hills and South Garo Hills — were also affected by flood.
More than one lakh people were affected after the flood situation worsened on Monday.
The worst hit is plain belt areas of West Garo hills district where about 1, 17,292 residents people remained affected.
Williamnagar in East Garo Hills District witnessed the worst flood situation in over a decade with as many as 93 families from ten villages being affected by the waters of the mighty Simsang river.
In South Garo Hills, several families of Karukol and at its surrounding areas were affected. More than 50 families have been affected due to flood since Sunday. People are taking shelter in with their neighbours for time being as their houses have been affected by flood water.
West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Pravin Bakshi said that reports indicate that 92 villages in Selsella C&RD Block are severely affected and 30 villages are affected partially.
Some villages under Tikrikilla Block also have been partially submerged and the Minister for Food . Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Clement Marak visited the affected areas on Sunday and took stock of the situation.
In a meeting held with the Deputy Commissioner , West Garo Hills, the list of partially and substantially/fully submerged villages was handed over and after an emergency meeting it was decided that the plain belt areas have to be declared flood hit and immediate gratuity relief has to be issued.
It has been decided that five days of Gratuitous Relief would be extended to the fully submerged villages and three days of the same shall be issued to the partially submerged villages and a total of 32,000 houses may have been partially or fully submerged and a total of 142 villages in the entire district have been affected .
The total affected population is 117292. A total of 17407 households have been severely affected and 5200 partially affected.
He said that early warning on flood was issued to the district on 14th August , about low intensity flood and the situation was under very close watch for the last one week.
However as the river Jingiram inundated villages over the weekend an assessment was done and the flood declared
Efforts are also on to set up relief camps. Agriculture Department has already done a preliminary assessment of the damage to sali paddy,” Bakshi said while adding that the Majhipara Solartek embankment is also breached and major cause of flood as there is breach from chainage 4120 m to 4620 m.
“PHE Department has been asked to arrange for drinking water and sanitation needs. The Emergency Operations Centre of Tura is activated .Boats are being requisitioned for evacuation if needed in Phulbari,” he said.
Temporary relief camps have also been set up in three different locations of Williamnagar town including the Rongrenggre Higher secondary School, Williamnagar College and the Vidhyamandhir Higher secondary School.
Meanwhile, Local MDC from Williamnagar, Denang T Sangma who made a round of the flood affected villages in East Garo Hills on Sunday has urged the district administration to provide necessary aid to the victims.