Shillong, Nov 1: The Meghalaya government is yet to complete a full assessment of the extensive damage inflicted on power utilities by the recent floods in the Garo Hills, though initial observations suggest significant losses.
“We are assessing the damages, and while we’ve nearly restored power in most areas, a planned inauguration for a substation on November 8 has been delayed,” informed Power Minister A.T. Mondal. “Part of the transmission line was washed away, and with the upcoming Gambegre bye-poll, we will wait until that concludes to proceed with the inauguration.”
The Minister noted that assessments are currently underway in the West Garo Hills region. “In South Garo Hills, part of the utility falls under the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) while another portion is managed by a distribution franchise,” he explained. “We are working to compile a complete picture of the impact.”
Mondal emphasized the extensive damage to infrastructure, informing that entire bridges were washed away towards Bangladesh. “The flash flood was triggered by days of unrelenting rain,” he said. “It wasn’t just riverbank homes that were affected—these were regular houses. When I spoke with people in the Dalu area, many shared that they had never seen such intense rainfall and flooding in their lifetimes,” he further said.
Emergency services were swiftly deployed, and relief measures were implemented to aid affected communities. Tragically, a total of 17 people lost their lives in the Garo Hills as a result of the heavy rains and subsequent flooding. 15 deaths were directly related to natural calamities induced by heavy rains such as flooding and landslides, while two minors died by falling into an under-construction tank that had been filled by rain water.
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