While over 80 families have been evacuated from Mizoram’s Lunglei district, relief camps have been set up in Guwahati following massive water logging and floods.
Aizwal/Guwahati: Eight people have been killed and six are missing after flash floods caused by heavy rainfall wrecked havoc in Tlabung in Mizoram’s Lunglei district.
National Highway 54, which links the state with Assam, has been cut off at different places due to landslides in Lunglei, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Serchhip and Champhai districts, officials said on Tuesday, June 13.
As many as 350 houses have been submerged since yesterday in different parts of the state in the flash floods, state urban development and poverty alleviation minister Zodintluanga said. The minister said that eight had been killed in south Marpara and Phairuangkai villages of Lunglei district, adding that six others remain missing.
Seventy-four buildings were submerged after water from the Khawthlangtuipui river flooded the Tlabung town. Public works department officials said 84 families have been evacuated from the area.
Schools remain closed in Thenzawl and six houses were submerged in the area, forcing the inhabitants to leave the buildings, the officials said.
Landslides and incessant rains have blocked several roads in Aizawl town, and power supply lines were snapped and telecommunication system was disrupted in the state capital.
In the Assam capital on the other hand, massive water logging due to incessant rains led the Kamrup Metropolitan district authority in the state to set up five relief camps for the affected people.
“I have asked to set up five relief camps immediately at various locations in Guwahati. We have already started distributing relief materials to people at these identified places,” M. Angamuthu, the Kamrup Metropolitan deputy commissioner, told PTI.
The authority has identified Rajgarh, Dhirenpara, Bhaskar Nagar, Noonmati and Nepali Basti areas for setting up the relief camps.
“We have started distributing food items, drinking water and medicines to affected people. We will continue to provide all support till water recedes and people go back to their homes,” Angamuthu said.
The deputy commissioner said landslides have occurred at three places – Kamakhya, Zoo Road and Chandmari – in Guwahati, which constitutes most of the Kamrup Metropolitan district.
“There is no casualty till now due to rains,” he said.
Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal has asked the administration to remain ready for any emergency.
“Chief minister Sonowal asked both district administration and Guwahati development department to be ready with relief materials and reach out to the affected people in case of any urgency,” an official release said.
In view of incessant rains lashing Guwahati since this morning, massive water logging and floods has thrown life out of gear.
Hundreds of houses went under water, the impact of which was severe due to water flowing down from the nearby hills.
Knee-deep water flooded all major roads of the city and created havoc in traffic management. Commuters were stranded for hours due to water logging.