Meghalaya government has announced an ex gratia amount of Rs 4 lakh each to next of kin of the recent landslides and flash flood victims in Meghalaya.

An ex- gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh each will be paid from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to the next of kin of deceased persons who lost their lives due to natural calamity, including those involved in relief operations or associated in preparedness activities, said an official.

So far nine people have died in East Khasi Hills district either due to landslides/flash floods or washed away by strong waters of streams or rivers in the past one week.