SHILLONG, July 10 - Incessant rains over the past few days in Meghalaya has caused flash floods and landslides, besides uprooting trees and damaging houses and vehicles in different places. However, there have been no reports of any casualties.
In the low-lying Polo area, Nongmynsong and Pynthorba in the State capital here, houses and streets were flooded with Umkhrah river overflowing its brim. Nearby houses were flooded and residents moved to safer places.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and its adjoining areas were also flooded.
In other areas of the State Capital, retaining walls caved in due to the rain damaging houses and vehicles. A few roads were washed off in the State Capital and elsewhere in East Khasi Hills district.
The East Khasi Hills District Magistrate held a review meeting to oversee the overall emergency preparedness of the response teams in the State Capital.
�Due to extremely heavy rainfall in East Khasi Hills District, the District Emergency Operations Centre (DEOC) has been alerted,� officials said.
The district authorities have designated officials for different parts of the State Capital who can be contacted in case of an emergency.
In West Khasi Hills district, the river Kynshi is flowing above the danger mark and several parts of the district have been inundated. Reports coming in say houses and vehicles and crops have been damaged.
The State received 574.6 mm of rainfall in the past four days. According to the Met department, the State received 351.2 mm of rainfall today alone. On Tuesday, the State received 124.5 mm rainfall.
According to weather forecast, the State would receive rainfall for the next three days.
Tura Correspondent adds: Continuous rains over the past five days has raised the fear of floods in most of the plain belt of West Garo Hills while most rivers were close to crossing the danger mark.
WGH, with the biggest population and being the most flood prone was as usual most affected with many areas under Selsella Block inundated.
�People are being evacuated where necessary. Hopefully the rain will relent,� said deputy commissioner of WGH, Ram Singh over the phone.
Reports of many houses in Tura bring damaged have been reported. An assessment of damages is being done.
Following the incessant rains, a section of the Tura-Dalu road was washed away leading to prohibition of movement of heavy vehicles on the road.
In an order today, the acting deputy commissioner of WGH closed the road until the damaged portion of the road was rectified and made stable by the NHIDCL. Public buses, while being allowed have been asked to offload passengers in weak and damaged sections.
�The temporary closure is being imposed in view of landslides and damages caused due to incessant rain, in order to avoid complete road blockade,� stated the order.
The order also directed the NHIDCL to take immediate steps to rectify the damaged portions.
