People moved to safety as Umkhrah floods

SHILLONG, AUG 18: With the Wah Umkhrah river rising because of heavy rainfall, the East Khasi hills district administration evacuated least 45 people from their houses to safety on Tuesday. Incessant rainfall in the state during the past twenty-four hour had left the localities along the Wah Umkhrah vulnerable to flood like every year.

East Khasi hills deputy commissioner PS Dkhar told reporters on Tuesday, “We evacuated 45 people from at least nine families residing in Pynthorbah area to safer grounds after floods caused by heavy rainfall.”.

Beside the district administration, rescue operation was also carried out by the district disaster management seen evacuating the families, mostly are women and children, from their houses.

Dkhar informed that the district administration acted promptly before the areas got inundated by flood and moved the families from the vulnerable areas to safety, thereby cutting the chances of any damage to people.

Dkhar said, “We have shifted them to a compound of a private house owner near the area only and relief materials such as ration and drinking water are being provided to them.”According to him, the decision to evacuate them was based on the fact that these families are living in Assam type houses and it is risky for them to stay there if heavy rainfall continues till tomorrow.

“Therefore, the step is to ensure that any untoward incident is prevented,” Dkhar said.

Stating that houses from which the families have been evacuated are those where the water have reached their respective compounds, Dkhar, however, said, “But people living in buildings with double storeys houses, have shifted their belongings to the first floor and the overall situation is under control.”

When asked, Dkhar said that there is also an incident of landslide reported from a village under the district.

There was report that the water level has crossed its danger mark, but Dkhar said that he is yet to get official report on this. Answering to a query, he said one of the reason that some of the houses are have affected is because these houses have been build close to the river bank and looks they have encroached.

In another report a PWD road has been affected in Mawreng area because of landslide, Dkhar said while informing that the road was immediately cleared.

Dkhar also informed that an Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) has also been set up by the district administration to immediate response to any situation adding that people can contact 2502094 which is a 24 X 7 helpline number of the centre.- By Our Reporter