GUWAHATI: Revenue and disaster management minister Kyrmen Shylla said he would take stock of the thunderstorm and landslide affected areas in the state before coming up with concrete measures to tackle such calamities.
“I will have to visit the areas affected by cyclonic storms and landslides before coming up with a plan to tackle such natural disasters. As it is, we have an allocation for relief distribution among the victims through the respective deputy commissioners,” Shylla told The Shillong Times on Tuesday.
Of late, thunderstorms have lashed areas across the Northeast along with other parts of the country. In Meghalaya, districts such as West Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills have bore the brunt.
Twelve families were rendered homeless when rain accompanied by a cyclone on Monday struck Umyiap area under Mawthadraishan C&RD Block in West Khasi Hills. Electric wires snapped as several trees were uprooted. Four villages under Umyiap area – Mawsnapwir, Mawkynrum, Mawkynbat and Mawsnahrih – bore the brunt of the cyclone.
“The gram sevaks of all the blocks are already in the field doing assessment for compensation to the affected families. As soon as we receive the detailed reports, we will sanction compensation,” West Khasi Hills deputy commissioner, Arunkumar Kembhavi told this correspondent.
Jaintia Hills district too has been affected by inclement weather of late. On Sunday, a landslide triggered by rain blocked a portion of the Shillong-Silchar National Highway 44 at Sonapur, disrupting traffic and leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded for hours. The portion was however cleared with the help of an earth mover by late evening.
In mid April, hailstones accompanied by heavy rain and thunder damaged several hundred Assam-type houses.
The Met office bulletin has predicted thunderstorm accompanied by squall, with wind speed up to 70kmph, at isolated places across Meghalaya along with five states of the Northeast on Wednesday.