NONGSTOIN: Twelve families were left homeless when sudden rain accompanied by a cyclone on Monday struck Umyiap area under Mawthadraishan C&RD Block in West Khasi Hills. The cyclone also resulted in snapping of electric wires as several trees were uprooted. Villagers informed that when the storm struck they sought refuge in a nearby RCC building.
Four villages under Umyiap area – Mawsnapwir, Mawkynrum, Mawkynbat and Mawsnahrih – bore the brunt of the cyclone. The affected families included those of Meralin S. Shangoi, Twelmoris S. Shangoi, Eldaris S. Shangoi and Bildaris S. Shangoi of Mawsnapwir village; Thelbon Wahlang, Wanhunlang Maria Wahlang, Agnes Wahlang and Elizabeth Wahlang of Mawkynbat village and four other families from Mawkynrum and Mawsnahrih villages where the exact number of houses damaged was yet to be ascertained.
Tragedy has struck Eldaris S Shangoi of Mawsnapwir village twice with a cyclonic storm in 2014 claiming her husband’s life rendering her mentally unstable and this time leaving her homeless.
A teary-eyed Eldaris, while speaking to this scribe, said this was the second time her house was destroyed in a cyclone storm.
She lamented that her children will have to stop going to school as all their books have been destroyed in the storm. “I neither have money to rebuild my house nor any to buy books for my children”, she added.
The Sordar of Mawsnapwir village, Parius Wahlang, told media persons that he had apprised the Block Development Officer of Mawthadraishan of the urgent matter but no help in the form of relief material has reached the village.
He, however, added that the BDO on Monday assigned one Gramsevak to assess the damage caused by the cyclone in Umyiap area.
The Sordar confirmed that there were no casualties but the exact quantum of loss in the form of damaged property could not be ascertained.
Following the incident, the National Peoples’ Party (NPP) Nongstoin Block led by its general secretary A.L Syiem visited the affected villages and met the families who had become homeless.
Syiem also donated cash as an immediate relief to those families who were badly affected by the cyclone and asserted that the NPP Nongstoin Block will report the matter to local MLA Macmillan Byrsat so that immediate relief can be arranged for the families.
