SHILLONG, AUG 26: The state cabinet has decided to include thunderstorms and strong winds, other than cyclones, in the list of state or local disasters.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma after the cabinet meeting on Wednesday said, “We have made an amendment in regards to the disaster management department where we have notified thunderstorms and strong winds other than cyclones as a state/local disaster.”
Explaining the rationale, Sangma said damages due to strong winds, which do not fall under the cyclone category, have become more frequent, leading to confusion at the administrative level.
“In the past, cyclones were notified as a local state disaster but more frequently now we have damages because of strong winds which are not really cyclone category. Officials are quite confused and have to declare it as a cyclone but actually it is in the category of strong winds but enough to cause damage. So to give clarity we have decided that we will include thunderstorms and strong winds also in the list,” he said.
