Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 383/14

UPDATES ON FLOOD SITUATION IN GARO HILLS

The situation in the floods and landslides affected areas of Garo Hills is still grim though flood waters is receding in many places. The death toll has increased to 46 numbers with 5 more dead bodies recovered from North Garo Hills. Teams of the NDRF are continuing the search for death bodies and the toll may rise further.

The NH-62 has opened for vehicles carrying loads not beyond 9MT. Landslides on NH-51 was cleared today evening and vehicles stranded at Bajengdoba have now proceeded to Tura.

Arrangement for transportation of stocks of essential commodities is being made through NH-62 to Williamnagar and NH-51 to Tura. Some of the relief camps in the areas where the water level has gone down have been closed as the people have returned to their homes. Additional medical personnel from Tura have been rushed to the affected places to assist in providing more medical care, in order to prevent and minimise any disease outbreak.

Arrangement is being made for airlifting of additional medicine by the IAF helicopters to ensure that the stocks of medicine are adequate in affected areas. Public Health Engineering has been asked to provide additional tankers and install hand pumps/serviceable tube wells wherever required to supplement the water supplies.

The weather today is cloudy and raining heavily in some places of Khasi Hills and Garo Hills. All Deputy Commissioners have been alerted about possibility of heavy rain today and on 27.9.2014.