TURA, Oct 6: The bodies of six family members who perished in a landslide triggered by torrential rains early Friday morning in Atisia Songmong village under Gasuapara block of South Garo Hills have been recovered by search and rescue teams of the NDRF and state SDRF, late Sunday afternoon.
Search for the last missing member, the grandmother of the house, is to resume on Monday morning, informed authorities.
Rescue teams used powerful water cannons to flush out the mud and soil and reach the bodies that were lodged deep inside the mound of earth that had engulfed the entire house.
An air of sadness engulfed the entire village as the bodies of the six victims, including a young mother and her 1year 6month old child, were brought out of the mud and rubble from what was once a place they called home.
Only the mortal remains of the matriarch, 60 year old Silje R Marak, is yet to be recovered from the rubble. There had been initial excitement when search teams stumbled upon some clothes protruding out of the mud and expected the victim to be close by. The search will resume at first light, Monday.
The bodies of Merina R Marak (39 years), Sama N Sangma (50 year old man), Miss Chengbe R Marak (22 years), 14 year teenager Desrang R Marak, Miss Silbera R Marak (8 years) and 1 year 6 month old baby girl Dimse R Marak were laid to rest in a plot of land behind their house, after a prayer and funeral service by local church elders and villagers.
Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma, along with Chokpot MLA Sengchim N Sangma and Baghmara legislator Kartush Marak were at the site of the disaster on Sunday morning along with South Garo Hills deputy commissioner, Superintendent of police and other magistrates overseeing the rescue operations.
