Meghalaya toll 46, Rijiju to visit flood-hit areas Saturday

The toll following floods and landslides in Meghalaya has risen to 46 while 10 people are still missing, officials said Friday.

Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju will Saturday make an aerial survey of the flood-hit Garo Hills region to inspect the damage.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has said heavy to very heavy rainfall will hit isolated places in the state Saturday.

More than two lakh people were affected after the swollen Brahmaputra and Jingiram rivers submerged at least 1,172 villages across 27 blocks in the state. There are 108 relief camps housing the displaced people.

"As of today, the official toll has gone up to 46 with 10 people still missing. The number of deaths is expected to rise as search and rescue operation by the National Disaster Response Force is still on in the water-logged areas," Chief Secretary P.B.O. Warjri told IANS over phone.

"The flood water is slowly receding in some areas."

The National Highway 51 connecting Tura, the main town in 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 inundated.

Deputy Chief Minister in-charge of revenue and disaster management Roytre Christopher Laloo said public infrastructure has borne the brunt of the floods and landslides.

"The overall assessment of the damage will be done in detail once the flood waters recede and the roads open for officials to reach all the areas," Laloo told media.

He said the approximate loss of Rs.1,170 crore is expected to substantially increase. "We are hopeful the central government will assist us financially to help the state and its people get back to normalcy," he added.