From Our Correspondent
NONGPOH: In one of the worst natural disasters in Ri Bhoi district, three people, including two women from the same family, were killed after their hill top house collapsed following a landslide at 19th Mile area on Thursday morning.
Two more were injured in the incident.
The accident took place on the Gauhati-Shillong road (NH40) leading to a massive traffic snarl. However, the road was opened after workers cleared rubble.
Two trucks and a Maruti Car were completely damaged when the debris pushed them away from the road.
Of the three deceased, two were identified as Aida Mukhim (46) and her daughter Pdianghun Mukhim (26). One Koh Mukhim (28) of the same family was seriously injured. Another person, identified as One Arun, who works with the bereaved family, was also injured.
However, the male body recovered from the rubble of the landslide is yet to be identified.
The four members of Mukhim family came to stay in the ill-fated house only on Wednesday. The family, which hailed from Mawhati village, came there to buy a plot of land in 19th Mile.
The bodies of the deceased and the injured persons were later shifted to Nongpoh Civil Hospital Nongpoh for post-mortem and medical treatment respectively.
Ri Bhoi Deputy Commissioner Akash Deep Singh and Superintendent of Police Claudia Lyngwa rushed to the spot to oversee the rescue operations.
Five JCBs and four dumper trucks besides a rescue team from Meghalaya Fire Service were pressed into service.
Meanwhile, KSU’s North Khasi Hills unit has blamed the Ramky Infrastructure for the landslide saying, “The four-lane project implementing company has not taken any measures to prevent occurrence such natural disaster”.
The student body demanded Ramky Infrastructure and Ri-Bhoi administration to pay adequate compensate to the victims’ families.
On Wednesdayevening, traffic was disrupted for more than two hours in the area due to another landslide but no casualty was reported, officials said.