SHILLONG/NONGPOH: Six persons died in separate landslides in Ri Bhoi and East Khasi Hills early on Saturday morning following a night-long torrential rain.
While five persons, including two minors, of two families were buried alive when a major landslide washed away the staff quarters of a local plywood company at Tharia in the Umiam industrial area in Ri Bhoi, a toddler died at Mawjrong in East Khasi Hills.
In Ri Bhoi, the landslide occurred around 5am when people were sleeping inside the tin-roofed quarters of T.C Veneer cum Sawmill in the Meghalaya Industrial Development Corporation area.
The factory is owned by Haricson Jain.
P.H Khongsngi, Deputy Controller of Civil Defence (Shillong) and Officer in Charge of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) said two of the deceased were workers at the factory and were identified as Loba Mahanta (25) and his wife Babbi Mahanta (19).
Another victim has been identified as 12-year-old Santi Lama. The fourth victim of the tragedy succumbed to his injuries at Civil Hospital, Shillong and was identified as Buna Lama (13).
The body of another woman was recovered around 6.30pm but it was not identified.
The landfall was triggered by heavy rain in the last few days. There were 10 rooms on the steep slope that were washed away.
The district police team and emergency services reached the spot on time.
According to the Ri Bhoi deputy commissioner’s office nine persons were injured and they are admitted in different hospitals in Shillong.
A magisterial inquiry, to be headed by additional District Magistrate D. Phawa, has been ordered.
The rescue operation, which stopped for some time due to heavy rain, later resumed and continued till late in evening despite inclement weather posing threat to the SDRF team.
“The area affected by the landslide is below a landfill and a stream flows nearby,” said Khongsni.
M.K Sangma, Joint Commandant General of Home Guards and Joint Director of Civil Defence, Meghalaya, visited the affected area earlier in the day. The extra additional commissioner of Ri Bhoi and the police chief also visited.
Meanwhile, in East Khasi Hills, the toddler was washed away along with a thatched house in a landslide that occurred around 3am on Saturday.
Larisha Sohtun, who was two years and 11 months old, was later recovered from under the mud and taken to PHC Swer but she was declared brought dead.
The incident happened at Lad Kyntong in Mawjrong in East Khasi Hills.
Police said the body was handed over to the family after inquest.
Several landslides occurred in many places along the Shillong-Sohra-Shella road on Saturday and a major one occurred at Umtngngar around 4 am. Many vehicles were stranded on the road for hours.
The PWD managed to clear the road on Saturday evening.
Landslides occurred in three places at Umstew village near Laitkynsew in Sohra leading to traffic snarl for nearly three to four hours.
There were minor landslides at Shella, Khliehshnong, Sohra and even in Khatar Shnong.