NONGPOH/ SHILLONG: Heavy rain in Ri Bhoi on Thursday night led to landslide and flash flood in the border area that killed four persons and grievously injured many, besides rendering several people homeless.
The downpour started around 9.30pm in parts of Byrnihat, 13 Mile, Tamulkuchi and Jorabat in Meghalaya and Assam border and continued till midnight.
Those who died have been identified as Depak Dimari (35) in Meghalaya who was a daily wage labourer from Assam, Rakhi Subedi (22) on the Assam side, Indira Devi Dorjee (59) and two-year-old Ayush Subedi.
Police from both the states came to the spot to help the affected residents. District administration officials and police from Ri Bhoi reached the disaster site on Thursday night.
The impact of the night’s disaster was also felt the next day with flood water and slush on the road halting vehicles coming from both Meghalaya and Assam. It was complete chaos at Jorabat junction on Friday morning. The Khanapara junction too witnessed water logging besides mud, which slowed down traffic. Hundreds of cars and heavy vehicles from Assam were stranded.
Assam police had stopped vehicles from Meghalaya to clear the traffic on the other side creating congestion. To add to the melee, people drove from the wrong side of the road.
Flood water entered shops and houses along the highway.
The Guwahati-Shillong road was recently flooded after a deluge and many NGOs in Assam had time and again expressed concern over water logging in the area.