Tura, Oct 8: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday visited the flood and landslide hit areas of West Garo Hills district and interacted with the affected families in relief camps and villages as well as distributed ex-gratia to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the recent tragedies.

Garo Hills has been ravaged by large-scale and numerous deadly landslides in the last four days, due to heavy rains since Thursday night. The floods and landslides have claimed the lives of 17 people across 4 districts of Garo Hills with highest causalities coming from South Garo Hills where 7 members of a family were buried in a massive landslide, West Garo Hills accounted for the loss of 5 lives, East Garo Hills reported 3 casualties and 2 lives were lost in North Garo Hills.

Giving a helping hand to those in need, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma personally reached out to the victims and those at the receiving end of the nature’s fury. He handed over an ex-gratia amount of Rs. 4 lakh for each of the victims.

At Rongkhon Songgital, he handed over ex-gratia of Rs. 8 lakh to the wife of (L) Bijoy Marak, a teacher by profession whose car was swept away by the flooded waters that claimed his and his 13-year-old son Wian Chigado R Marak’s life.

He also met the family members and handed over ex-gratia of Rs. 4 Lakhs to the family of 18-year-old Sarika M. Marak who died due to a landslide in Karonggre village in West Garo Hills District.

Later, he paid a visit to the grieving parents of Miando P Marak, a 5-year-old boy, and handed over ex-gratia of Rs. 4 Lakhs to them. Miando died in a landslide while playing behind their house at Sorokpara village in Dalu in West Garo Hills District on Friday.

He also paid a visit to the family of 28-year-old (L) Tengseng R Marak in Tibapara under Dalu, who died as a result of a tree falling atop his car in Songsak in East Garo Hills on Saturday night. He handed over ex-gratia of Rs. 4 Lakhs to the bereaved family and offered his condolences.

His next visit was to the family of (L) Santa Marak, who was buried alive in a landslide at Koinabhui village in Dalu on Friday, and handed over ex-gratia of Rs. 4 lakhs to the family. She is survived by her daughter who also sustained injuries from the incident.

The CM also moved around the area to take stock of the damages and interacted with the affected residents.

Later, he held a review meeting with the District Administration of West Garo Hills and officials of MSDMA to assess the damages by flash floods and landslides in Dalu C&RD Block and to monitor the relief operations conducted so far.

In Dalu C&RD Block, the natural calamities have devastated 2630 households. The District Administration has set up 68 Relief Camps and has provided food and shelter to 17000 flood and landslide victims.

In the review, Sangma directed officials to conduct a study of rivers and water bodies and the flood-prone area for flood mitigation and undertake flood management initiatives to avoid such damages to life and property in the future.

He further instructed for immediate repair of roads and bridges in the Block and ensure supply of essentials to the affected population.

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