State govt mulls warning system for landslides

SHILLONG, June 16: The state government is looking at putting in place an early warning system for landslides, and the process of identifying the vulnerable areas has started.
“We have had a detailed meeting with the Geological Survey of India wherein we are looking at ensuring that we have early warning system in terms of landslide,” informed Executive Director State Disaster Management Authority, Matsiewdor War Nongbri.
Mentioning that the process takes some time, Nongbri said that a lot of research and data gathering has been put in place and the department is in the process of identifying areas vulnerable to landslides.
It may be mentioned that many lives have been lost in the state due to landslides, especially during monsoon.
Houses have been reduced to rubbles, roads washed away and vehicles along with the occupants covered in mud.
Just two days ago, incessant rainfall wrecked havoc in parts of Ranikor Block in South West Khasi Hills, damaging a subway at Kensohsan village. Landslides also occurred at Mawpud village which damaged two houses and a government lower primary school.
Similarly, a major landslide occurred at Rngain along a stretch of Shillong-Dawki road, and cut off the road connection on Wednesday morning.
Minor landslides had occurred at the same place on June 11 and 13 affecting the movement of vehicles for few hours.
The stretch of the Shillong-Dawki road at Rngain is prone to landslide during the monsoon, especially because of the road widening work done as part of the Shillong-Dawki road project.