Death toll in Garo Hills floods, landslide rises to 12, father-son duo latest casualty

Shillong, Oct 6: The death toll in the Garo Hills region has climbed to 12 following landslides and flash floods, with two more bodies recovered by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) on Sunday.

The victims, identified as Bijoy S. Sangma (44) and his 13-year-old son Wian Chigado R. Marak, were found after their car was swept away at the Dalu-Sonagre junction under the Barengapara police station.

The father-son duo hailed from Rongkhon Songgital, Tura. The SDRF located the bodies after a search operation that began on October 5.

This brings the total fatalities to 12, with 10 earlier deaths reported due to landslides. Three people were killed in Dalu, West Garo Hills, and seven from a single family perished in Hatiasia Songma village under Gasuapara police station, South Garo Hills.

The torrential rains have caused widespread devastation across West Garo Hills, South Garo Hills, and South West Garo Hills.

So far, over 54 villages and more than 500 households have been affected, with 58 homes completely destroyed in the region.

Roads, bridges, and agricultural land have also suffered significant damage.

On Saturday, in response to the rising death toll, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma held a review meeting to assess the situation's impact on the region. He ordered the immediate release of ex-gratia payments to the families of the deceased.

The relentless rainfall, which began late Friday night, has led to severe flooding in Dalu and the low-lying areas of Gasuapara, where a bridge has been washed away.

Efforts to restore normalcy and provide relief are ongoing in the affected districts.