‘Avoid staying in low-lying areas’
Shillong, Oct 20: Mawkyrwat MLA Renikton L Tongkhar spelt out some dos and don’ts for the people living flood and landslide prone areas, in the wake of the loss of 17 lives in Garo Hills after torrential rains hit the region recently. He also expressed his condolences to the next of kin of the deceased victims wished speedy recovery of the injured.
“First and foremost, for areas prone to flooding, we should advise people to avoid residing in low-lying areas as much as possible,” he said while speaking to reporters. However, timely warnings should be issued to residents to evacuate them when necessary, he said.
Admitting that everyone cannot afford an RCC house to guard against wind or landslide, he suggested for building houses by cutting into the hills “so that the hill itself can shield them”.
“Additionally, retaining walls must be strong, and proper drainage systems should be in place,” he said, adding, “It’s crucial to channel water away smoothly to prevent soil erosion.”
Expressing his happiness over the government’s “prompt action” to help the distressed people, he said, “We should learn from this tragedy… we cannot control nature or calamities, but we can be prepared to prevent such casualties in the future.”
He said he would submit the suggestions in a written format to respective authorities.
