SHILLONG: In a major tragedy five persons belonging to the same family were killed in a landslide while they were asleep at crack of dawn at Dhobi Ghat in Laban on Friday.
Two bodies were retrieved while search was on for tracing the remaining bodies buried under the debris.
In addition, a 12-year-old girl, Jasmine Thongni, died in a landslide at Madanrting Wahthing on Friday.
Those who died at Laban included two former footballers-turned-cricketers Razia Ahmed (35) and Feroza Khan (45). Razia represented Meghalaya Women’s team and was a talented wicketkeeper-batter.
The bodies of Feroza Khan, Imdad Nongrum (60) and Kayam Uddin Ahmed (35) were yet to be retrieved.
The district administration, dorbar shnong, police, disaster management team, fire service were plunged into action in the morning. A JCB was seen clearing the debris. Most of the residents, who belong to underprivileged section, lived in ramshackle wooden houses built precariously above a small rivulet.
Local MLA Shanbor Shullai said that he and members of the dorbar shnong would meet the Chief Minister Conrad Sangma for ex-gratia relief to the relatives of the deceased and the people affected. He said most of the affected persons were known to him closely.
He said that it was not advisable for the residents to continue staying there, and accordingly, some families were shifted to the nearby muslim majar while others were sheltered at Bishnupur community hall.
The tragedy cast a pall of gloom in Laban as hundreds of sympathisers and on-lookers watched the relief operations.
Shillong Muslim Union volunteers provided food to the affected families.
