At least 29 people have lost their lives to nature’s fury in three northeastern states - Assam, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh - which have been reeling under severe floods and landslides.
According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 4 more deaths in floods have been reported, which has taken Assam’s death toll to 18 (13 in floods and 5 in landslides), since May 14. Three people have died in Meghalaya flash floods since May 13, while 8 people have died in flash floods and landslides in Arunachal Pradesh, since May 16.
Assam, the worst-hit state, showed signs of returning to normal after the count of the affected population came down marginally to 680,000 from 711,000. But the number of people taking shelter in relief camps remains almost the same, the ASDMA said.
In Arunachal, the body of a missing woman was recovered in Itanagar, from the debris created by landslides. Bodies of 2 men were recovered from the same spot earlier, after a mudslide crushed their house. Three other people lost their lives in Kurung Kumey district earlier.
Meghalaya, which has received "large excessive" rainfall, has so far reported 3 deaths in East Khasi Hills district. ASDMA said the public health engineering department has been asked to make arrangements to supply sufficient water to over 4,000 pre-identified relief camps in the state, while the NHAI has assured the state that it would restore the national highway from Jatinga to Harangajao, in Dima Hasao district, within one week.
