Meghalaya floods toll rises to 52, NDRF suspends operations

The death toll in the recent flash floods and landslides in Meghalaya has risen to 52, officials said Sunday.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Response Force has suspended its search and rescue operations in the flood-affected areas of the Garo Hills region in the western part of the state.

The swollen Brahmaputra and Jingiram rivers inundated at least 1,172 villages across 27 blocks in the state, displacing more than two lakh people who have now been housed in 108 relief camps.

Megalaya's North Garo Hills district bordering Assam's Goalpara district was the worst-hit with more than 20 people, including nine children, losing their lives. The district is without power supply for the past seven days, an official said.

"The official death figure due to the floods and landslides till this afternoon stands at 52 with a few more people still missing," Chief Secretary P.B.O. Warjri told IANS over phone.

The National Highway 51 connecting Tura, the main town in the Garo Hills with Assam, has been restored.

Warjri, however, said there has only been partial movement of vehicles on the highway since the National Highway 37 in Assam's Goalpara district is still under water.

Saturday, the health department airlifted medicines to Tura to supplement stocks.

"The government has deputed medical officials in the flood-hit areas and relief camps and are providing medical assistance to the flood victims," Warjri said.

NDRF Commandant Alok Kumar Singh told IANS: "We have temporarily suspended our search and rescue operations in the flood-affected areas of Garo Hills, but our troopers are now involved in ferrying medical officials and providing relief materials to the flood-hit victims."

Deputy Chief Minister R.C. Laloo said the priority of the government is to provide relief to the affected people and restore road connectivity to enable transportation of essential commodities.

"National Highways 51 and 62 have been restored, but most of the roads are not yet motorable as bridges have been washed away," he told IANS.

He added: "Though the road communication on National Highways 51 and 62 has been restored for light vehicles, complete road connectivity with Assam will be restored only after the Krishnai Bridge on National Highway 37 is repaired."

He said Public Health Engineering (PHE) officials have distributed chlorine tablets and bleaching powder to prevent any outbreak of water-borne diseases.

Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking Rs.2,000 crore to tide over the situation.

Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijju who conducted an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas Saturday said the prime minister (Narendra Modi) will make an announcement for a special relief package after returning from his ongoing visit to the US.