45 killed in Northeast India floods

Floods and landslides caused by incessant rainfall have claimed at least 45 lives in India's northeastern states of Assam and Meghalaya since Sunday.

Officials said more than 125 people were reported missing -- many believed to have been washed away .

Atleast 1.4 million people have been displaced in these two states. More displacements are likely as the flood situation is worsening in some districts bordering Bangladesh.

Police in Meghalaya capital Shillong said eight persons, including a pregnant woman, were buried alive under debris early Tuesday morning following a landslide in the Mawbah area.

“Five victims belong to the same family,” East Khasi Hills police chief M Kharkrang said. Landslides in the Garo Hills area of the state had killed 11 on Monday while another drowned.

“Seventeen people are feared buried under debris,” North Garo Hills district additional superintendent of police Ramesh Singh said.

Landslides cut off Shillong and Garo Hills headquarters Tura at several stretches stranding at least 2,000 people. Nonstop rain for the last 72 hours also claimed the lives of 25 people in Assam, the worst affected being Goalpara district bordering Meghalaya and Bangladesh.

Photo: Shib Shankar Chatterjee bdnews24.com

Indian Air Force helicopters were pressed into service for rescuing the marooned people while 15 teams of National Disaster Relief Force were deployed in the flood-affected areas.

The army was also called out in Assam and Meghalaya for relief operations. “We have opened 78 relief camps for the flood-affected people,” Goalpara deputy commissioner Pritam Saikia said, adding the state disaster relief force was also carrying out rescue missions round the clock.

Guwahati, the capital of Assam, too was hit by floods and landslides that claimed five of the 25 victims in the state. The flood situation in the city did not improve much on Tuesday, forcing the state administration to call the army in.

“We have ordered all educational institutes to remain closed on Wednesday,” said Kamrup (Metro) deputy commissioner M Angamuthu. The Regional Meteorological Centre, meanwhile, has predicted heavy showers in the next 48 hours across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya.

River Brahmaputra and all its tributaries have been overflowing since Monday, which will cause floods lower down in adjoining districts of Bangladesh.