Continuous monsoon downpours have wreaked havoc across the Northeastern states of India, leading to deadly landslides and flash floods that have claimed at least 30 lives in the past two days. Several states, including Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Nagaland, are grappling with the aftermath, with emergency teams conducting widespread rescue efforts.
In one of the worst-hit areas, Arunachal Pradesh, seven members of two families were killed when their vehicle was swept into a deep gorge following a landslide along National Highway 13 in East Kameng district. The incident occurred between Bana and Seppa late Friday night. In another part of the state, Ziro in Lower Subansiri, two workers from Assam lost their lives when a landslide buried a restaurant where they were employed. Search and rescue teams, including the SDRF and ITBP, recovered the bodies and assisted in the relief operation.
Meanwhile, in Assam, heavy rainfall over the past three days has triggered both urban flooding and landslides. In Guwahati’s Bonda area, five people, including three women, were killed as a mudslide engulfed several homes. This came as the city recorded 111 mm of rainfall in a single day the highest in nearly seven decades. Flooding across six districts has affected over 10,000 people, and authorities have set up relief shelters for displaced residents. In addition to Guwahati, Lakhimpur and Golaghat districts also reported three flood-related deaths.
Assam’s State Govt Allows Special Leave to Employees
Assam’s Kamrup Metropolitan district recorded all five landslide fatalities. Due to the adverse weather, educational institutions in Kamrup and Guwahati were closed, and the state government granted special leave to employees affected by travel disruptions. The ASDMA confirmed that over 60,000 people in 12 districts have been impacted by the flooding.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for several parts of Assam and orange and yellow alerts for other Northeastern states, warning of more intense rain ahead. According to the IMD, a depression forming over neighboring Bangladesh has intensified the seasonal rains across the region.
In Manipur, the overflowing Imphal River has breached its banks, submerging large parts of Imphal East district. Authorities have evacuated at least 277 residents and set up eight temporary shelters. The hill districts including Tamenglong, Ukhrul, Senapati, Noney, and Pherzawl have also reported flash floods and landslides, further complicating relief operations.
Mizoram Experiences Damage
Elsewhere in the region, Mizoram has seen significant damage, with over 113 landslides recorded across the state. Five people have died in related incidents. Meghalaya has confirmed six casualties over the past two days, while a truck driver lost his life in Nagaland’s Chumoukedima district after a rockfall struck his vehicle.
In Sikkim, approximately 1,500 tourists remain stranded in the north as landslides have cut off road access. In an earlier incident this week, a tourist vehicle carrying 11 passengers fell into the Teesta River in Mangan district, resulting in one death, two injuries, and eight missing persons.
State governments and disaster management agencies across the Northeast have mobilised relief and evacuation operations. Teams from the NDRF, SDRF, police, and fire services are working round the clock to rescue those in danger and supply aid to affected communities.
Arunachal Pradesh’s HM Expresses Condolence to the Lives Lost
Arunachal Pradesh’s Home Minister Mama Natung, whose constituency includes the area affected by the NH-13 tragedy, expressed his sorrow over the loss of lives and urged the public to avoid travel during the monsoon season. “This is a heartbreaking time,” he said in a statement, “and I extend my condolences to the families who lost their loved ones.”
As rains are forecast to continue into the week, authorities remain on high alert, and people in low-lying and landslide-prone areas are being urged to relocate to safer locations.
