TURA/MAWKYRWAT, June 30: Torrential rains across Garo Hills for well over 14 long hours has resulted in damages to peoples’ homes, road linkages and bridges, inundated crop fields and extensively caused landslips across many areas. The most impacted have been South and West Garo Hills districts and authorities are bracing for the worst as the weather forecast predicts more rain in the region, in the coming hours.
The rains, which began late Tuesday night, have been heavy for most part of the early morning hours, causing the largest river in Garo Hills — Simsang — to dangerously rise in many parts of South Garo Hills through which it flows down into Bangladesh.
The Deku river in Chokpot civil sub-division of South Garo Hills, which seldom breaches the danger mark, overflowed its banks from the overnight rain and washed away the main wooden bride that links Deku to Chokpot and beyond.
Authorities in Baghmara, district headquarters of South Garo Hills, had to shift out three families from Malikona area after landslips from an adjoining hill damaged their homes and threatened to further give way.
“Two families have been provided accommodation in a school while another is residing with relatives,” said district Superintendent of Police, Rituraj Ravi.
The rains have inundated many low-lying parts of the Dalu to Baghmara road and travel along the route has become a challenge throughout the day due to blockades caused by tree falls.
In West Garo Hills, Tura town has had its share of damages caused by the rains. An autorickshaw driver sustained grievous injuries when a tree fell onto his vehicle while passing through at Darengre area of Dobasipara on Wednesday morning.
“Many autos and vehicles damaged including one auto rickshaw driver injured. Clearing operations are continuing . We are expecting more rains,” informed West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh, who visited several areas of the town which suffered damages.
Though the plain-belt region of Phulbari, Chibinang, Tikrikilla, Bhaitbari and Rajabala are relatively without flooding, for the time being, there is apprehension that the situation could turn for the worse if heavy rains take place further up in Assam which would swell up the mighty Brahmaputra that flows down towards the Garo Hills plains and merges with the Jinjiram river leading to a massive backflow of water, something that has happened annually.
Road closed in Ranikor
Meanwhile in Ranikor, South West Khasi Hills, the authorities closed the Umpung-Mawpud road after a culvert was washed away due to incessant downpour on Monday and Tuesday.
“The general public has been informed that the Umpung-Mawpud road under South West Khasi Hills District is closed to all traffic as the immediate approach of Culvert No. 11/1 at the 11th KM of Umpung Bank under PMGSY has been washed away,” said Executive Engineer PWD (Roads), Ranikor Division, KC Nongrum.
Temporary restoration work, however, is under way.