Death toll in flood-hit Meghalaya rises to 17

Meghalaya’s State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) retrieving a car that was about to submerge in the flood waters at Dalu Sonagre junction, in West Garo Hills on Sunday, October 6, 2024.
| Photo Credit: ANI

GUWAHATI: The bodies of two children were recovered from a pit in flood-hit Meghalaya’s North Garo Hills district on Monday (October 7, 2024), taking the death toll in the State to 17.

Officials said the two children – aged 8 and 3 – fell into a pit that was not visible in an area partially filled with floodwaters. The children were from the district’s Bate Apal-Bangsi Apal village.

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Heavy rainfall hit the Garo Hills region of western Meghalaya on October 4, triggering flash floods and landslides. A series of local-level disasters claimed the lives of 15 people until the recovery of bodies of the two children.

Expressing his grief over the death of the two children, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma began visiting the flood-affected areas of the Garo Hills straddling five districts.

“During his visit, the Chief Minister will meet the next of kin of the deceased in the West and South Garo Hills district and also inspect the relief camps apart from holding review meetings with the authorities concerned,” a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office said.

Officials said Meghalaya’s State Disaster Response Force members have been assisting the flood and landslide-hit people in the Garo Hills, which continued to experience rainfall.