Death and destruction engulf Tura
From Our Correspondent
TURA: Death and destruction engulfed Tura town a day after colorful celebrations of the country’s Independence Day as heavy torrential rains triggered massive landslides and flooded low lying areas burying alive six people, including a 11-month-old baby, in the wee hours of Tuesday morning.
There has been extensive damage to property and livestock and flood waters have washed away a house at Mukdangra, near Garobadha town, but the inhabitants are believed to have escaped the fury of the storm.
A depression over the region coupled with the prevailing monsoon showers apparently created a devastating cocktail of inclement weather that began to build up gradually as the day progressed on August 15.
It let loose its fury on the unsuspecting people of Garo Hills with the eye of the storm squarely on Tura town and just before dawn it gathered speed and momentum letting loose sheer destruction.
An elderly couple, Arun R Marak (60 years) and his wife Mrs. C. G Momin, died after loose earth fell and buried their home in Modynagar.
The father of 11-month old Abhik Saha tried desperately to save him from the landslide at Nabinpali locality of Tura bazaar but sadly lost the battle. While the child died in the landslide the father had to be admitted to hospital with injuries sustained in the rescue attempt.
Elsewhere, there was more tragedy taking place as Poresh Das (30) of Dobasipara, Ms Elvira A Sangma (23) of Tetengkol and Bijoy A Sangma of Rongka Chiring localities lost their lives when huge quantities of mud and boulders fell on their dwellings during the peak hours of the storm.
The Deputy Commissioner of West Garo Hills, Sanjay Goyal, has announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs 1 lakh each for next of kin of the deceased.
The administration had its hands full in trying to push through rescue and relief for the victims. Heavy machinery was brought in to clear the blocked roads and MeECL linesmen were quickly on the road to restore power supply phase by phase to several localities. By late Tuesday evening almost all localities had their powers back.
The storm did not spare roads and bridges as telephone and power lines came down and all major roads in and out of the town were blocked with landslides.
In the plain belt region of West Garo Hills, flood waters from the Jinjiram river had dangerously moved into low lying areas and the entire stretch of road from Tikrikilla to Selsella remained submerged for most part of the day.
A major embankment at Garobadha, between Rangatari and Sonamati villages had been breached letting in flood waters from Ganol river into low lying areas on a large scale.
In Tura town, landslides were reported from almost all major localities beginning from Rongkhon, Chitoktak, Babupara, Mondol tilla, Chunmati, Dobasipara, among others.
Reports of livestock being washed away and damage to vehicles from falling boulders were a plenty in the town.
Another district to witness large scale devastation to road communication was the hilly region of South Garo Hills. All roads leading to the district headquarters of Baghmara had been snapped at several points and the main bridge at Sibbari had collapsed due to the flood waters. The alternative border road from Sibbari to Baghmara was also closed due to flood waters. Another road connecting picturesque Siju to Williamnagar via Rongdong has been blocked after a bridge collapsed. Even the Sibbari to Chokpot and 12th mile road remains cut off due to landslides at several places.
The Baghmara market was flooded from the rising waters of Simsang river. Only East Garo Hills district had a relatively smaller damage with one major landslide snapping road communication between Rongsak and Bansamgre. Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma said the Government was assessing the situation.
According to him, the Government was taking the help of the BSF in rescue operation
NPC Demand: Meanwhile, the leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Conrad Sangma has requested the State Government to provide relief material like food grains, biscuits, temporary shelter, tents, ropes and even boats in all the flodd-affected areas of Garo Hills.
In a letter to the Chief Secretary WMS Pariat, Sangma said, “the matter should be taken up with outmost urgency.” (With inputs from our reporter)