Garo Hills region in Meghalaya is suffering another bout of flash flood leaving many areas submerged with heavy damaged to crops while many areas across the region remained cut off.
Heavy and incessant rains continued in the entire Garo Hills region over the past several days giving no respite to people or crops.
“Some of the crops may have survived the first flash flood but this time the damage is pretty much extensive,” social activist from Chibinang, Ishraful Hoque said.
While rains relented a little on Saturday morning, the skies refused to clear leading to many fearing a reoccurrence.
In North Garo Hills, waters from the Damring River reached the village of Mendadum with residences coming under knee deep water. Most villages along the NH 51 too reported a rise in water levels and slight flooding, though the water continued to recede through the day.
Many parts of West Garo Hills, mainly in the plain belt suffered loss of connectivity after vital bridges connecting many were washed away by the current deluge. A wooden bridge in Kalchengpara market collapsed leaving the village along with Sasatgre, Mangchim area cut off from Selsella.
In the Tikrikilla area, which has already seen major destruction in the last flash flood, another bridge collapsed in the village of Rangsagre, leaving many people disconnected to Dadenggre and Tikrikilla. People of remote villages situated across the Roni stream are expected to be impacted.
In Chibinang – Bangalkhata, a poorly built subway was washed away leading to water entering paddy fields while also disconnecting many areas across the Rongai River. Till this evening,
“Farmers, who are already reeling under monetary issues due to lockdown, are facing a very bleak year. We appeal to the administration to waive off KCC loans as well as provide assistance for damages to livelihood due to the flood today,” Hoque said.
Paddy fields across the plain belt of West Garo Hills remained submerged with damage to crops expected to be extensive.
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