SHILLONG, June 18: Rains have been incessant over the past few weeks leaving a trail of destruction behind especially in the Garo Hills region, but starting Monday the merciless rampage of unabated rainfall is likely to relent, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).
Rakesh Sharma, a scientist at IMD Shillong, said rainfall activity will begin reducing from Sunday.
Moreover, it was observed that the intensity of rainfall was slightly less on Saturday.
“From Monday, we expect rain to reduce further,” he said, while adding that light to moderate rainfall is likely to continue but the extreme heavy spell of rainfall will not be there.
In what may be termed another silver lining, a team is likely to be deployed by the Centre to assess the situation in the state.
In a tweet, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said he has communicated with Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the flood situation in Meghalaya and the extensive damage caused.
“Have updated @AmitShah ji of the flood situation in the state and the extensive damage that has been caused. He has assured of all help and will be sending a team to assess the situation. I thank him for his prompt response (sic),” the tweet read.
Regardless of the signs of hope, Saturday was, nonetheless, menacing as the body of a handyman of a truck was recovered from under 400 feet on National Highway-6, where the incident occurred, by the State Response Team and the Fire & Emergency Services.
Earlier on June 16, a portion of the NH-6 near Lumshnong toll plaza had caved in due to heavy rainfall and the truck had fallen into the pit.
Superintendant of Police of East Jaintia Hills Jagpal Singh Dhanoa on Saturday said that during the incident, the driver of the truck (AS 01 DD 4496) had jumped out of the vehicle but the handyman had gone missing.
The deceased has been identified as Bishujit Chakrabarty (36) of Khowai, West Tripura.
The video of the mishap had gone viral on social media recently.
The body was taken to Khliehriat civil hospital for autopsy.
The NH-6 is, however, still closed to traffic, while restoration work is going on in full swing, the police informed.
Another car also met the same fate on that particular day but the occupants of the vehicle had jumped from the vehicle.
The office of the Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills has prepared a report of damages suffered in the district on Saturday, which mentions several infrastructures that were affected by rainfall and landslides.
According to the report, the house of Pyntngen Khongsit of Kshaid Village under Laitkroh Khatarshnong Block was damaged due to landslide. Similarly, other infrastructure like footbridge at Sonatola in Mawsynram, suspension bridge at Suktia in Shella Bholaganj, were also damaged, whereas Nongjri Bholaganj Road at Pynsursla is yet to be opened for traffic.
As per another government report, Ranikor Block witnessed floods which affected 22 houses, while a landslide at Saipung Block in East Jaintia Hills hit two houses.
A road under MGNREGS also suffered damage due to a landslide at Mawblei VEC under Mawkyrwat Block; while in East Jaintia Hills, a landslide damaged the retaining wall of Umkiang PHC.
Since April 1, as many as 27 lives have been lost in the state and the rainfall has affected around 5.86 lakh people in 772 villages. A total of 3,981 houses have also been affected during the same period while total crop area of 15 hectares was also affected.
Meanwhile in Eastern West Khasi Hills, chairman of one of the regional border committees and PHE Minister, Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar, along with his cabinet colleague B Nongsiej inspected damaged roads at Rngisawlia in the district and Ngunraw, Jashiar & Rangblang Sahsniang villages in South West Khasi Hills on Saturday.
The ministers also visited a family in Jashiar whose house was damaged and a relative dead in a rain-related incident.
Guv’s condolence
In the wake of several deaths being reported in the past few days due to inclement weather in the state, Governor Satya Pal Malik has conveyed his condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives recently.
“I’m deeply pained by the loss of precious lives due to incessant and extremely heavy rainfall which has disrupted life in the entire state. The government is proactively taking all the necessary remedial and relief measures to address the situation. I urge everyone to be careful while venturing out,” Governor Malik said.
“I have discussed the current situation with the Chief Minister who is closely monitoring the situation and he has assured me that necessary action is being taken,” he added.
This year, Meghalaya is witnessing heavy rainfall with few old records being shattered by Mawsynram and Sohra.
Mawsynram has recently set a new record with 1003.6 mm of precipitation in 24 hours, the highest-ever single-day rainfall recorded by the IMD for the month of June.
The precipitation recorded between Thursday and Friday betters a 56-year-old record when Mawsynram had witnessed 944.7 mm of precipitation on June 7, 1966, the IMD data showed.
In Cherrapunjee (Sohra), which is at an aerial distance of 10 km from Mawsynram, the figure of 811.2 mm of rainfall recorded on Wednesday was the highest in June since 1995 and the third highest in the 122-year-old history of the IMD.
