Rain & storm wreak havoc; around 1500 affected

SHILLONG/JOWAI/MAWKYRWAT/NONGPOH: East Jaintia Hills and West Jaintia Hills districts reeled under “unprecedented” floods as heavy downpour coupled with high-velocity winds pounded at least seven districts triggering landslides, washing away roads and damaging houses.
West Jaintia Hills district police said 4-5 persons were missing at Ialong where they were earlier marooned in a farm hut. One person from among the group was rescued while efforts to rescue the others were under way.
The heavy rain flooded Shnongpdeng, the famous tourist spot in the border of Bangladesh, with the water reaching the residential area forcing many houses to be evacuated
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister, Kyrmen Shylla said in Shillong on Tuesday that 1,493 people spread over 21 villages in various districts of the state have been affected.
“East Jaintia Hills and West Jaintia Hills have witnessed unprecedented floods”, he said.
Informing that the rain has triggered landslides and washed away roads, he said that six houses have been completely damaged while 352 others suffered partial damage.
He said the affected districts were West Garo Hills, North Garo Hills, West Khasi Hills, South Garo Hills, South West Garo Hills, East Jaintia Hills and West Jaintia Hills.
The affected areas presented pictures of overflowing streams and rivers, landslides, flooded farm lands, water-logging, roads and bridges with portions washed away and damaged houses.
Shylla informed that the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) has been dispatched and five relief camps have been set up.
“The SDRF teams and deputy commissioners are on the job and doing whatever they can to rescue and provide relief to those in need”, he said.
To a query on the estimated damage, Shylla said that the team is on the job and conducting the assessment. “The assessment is still on and I won’t be able to tell you the figures until it’s completed”, he said.
A heavy downpour also hit Shillong in the evening, but there was no report of damage till late in the night.
Church collapse
Heavy rain and strong winds continued to lash South West Khasi Hills bringing down a church, blowing away the roof of a school building, damaging a building for anglers at a resort and 38 houses.
Block Development Officer (BDO) of Mawkyrwat Block, FB Basan on Tuesday informed that 38 houses in Mawkyrwat Block were partially affected while the building of Church of God UP School, Umdohlun suffered damage after the storm blew away away the roof.
The BDO said that the incidents took place on Monday night and Tuesday morning.
However, no person was injured. The villages where houses were damaged included Lad Dommawiong (7 houses), Rangblang-A (6), Lad Jynrai (5), Tiehshrah Dombah (4), Mawsaw Mihngi (2), Mawsaw (2), Namlang (3), Ngunraw (1), Mawiong (3) and Sumsier (5).
On Tuesday morning at around 7.30, the building of the Kharew Presbyterian Church collapsed after being hit by the storm accompanied by heavy rain which lasted for more than an hour.
An elder of the Kharew Presbyterian Church, Bukbalawan Mawnai, said the building was old. He also said that some houses in Kharew village suffered minor damage due to the storm.
Mawnai said that the rain and storm also affected the farmers from Kharew and adjoining villages as it destroyed their cultivation including squash, maize, potato and rice which they had sown recently and the plants had started growing.
Meanwhile, a delayed report said that on Saturday night the storm blew away the roof of one of the buildings for anglers at Saviba Eco Angling Resort, Umpung under Ranikor Civil Sub-Division.
Robertson Basan, a resident of Umpung, informed that the resort had suffered major damage as the storm had blown away the roof of the building.
Lightning hits house
In Ri Bhoi, a house owned by Dikos Rani was reduced to ashes in lightning at Lumdaitkhla, Bhoirymbong.
However, no one was injured in the incident which happened at around 7 am on Tuesday.
As per sources, three families lived in the rented house. The local legislator of Umroi constituency, George B Lyngdoh, rushed to the spot to visit the affected families and also provided them with necessary help.
Meanwhile, storms accompanied with heavy rain affected the movement of vehicles on National Highway 6 at 17th and 18th Mile areas of Ri Bhoi District as the trees fell down on the road.
The incident resulted in disruption of power in various parts of the district, including Nongpoh.
Police rushed to the area to clear the fallen trees for smooth movement of vehicles. No one was injured.