Northeast Devastated by Floods and Landslides; At Least 28 Dead Across States
Assam, Arunachal, Mizoram Among Worst Hit as Monsoon Unleashes Havoc
Guwahati Paralyzed by Urban Floods; Schools Shut, Special Leave for Govt Employees
Over 100 Landslides Reported in Mizoram; Thousands Affected Across Region
Rescue Operations Underway as Rivers Breach and Hill Roads Collapse
Guwahati, June 1, KNT: At least 28 people have lost their lives in the last 48 hours as torrential rains battered India’s northeastern states, triggering devastating floods and landslides. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributed the extreme weather to a depression over neighbouring Bangladesh, warning of more rains ahead.
In Arunachal Pradesh, seven people were killed when a landslide on National Highway 13 swept a vehicle into a gorge in East Kameng district late Friday night. Two more lives were lost in another landslide in the Lower Subansiri district. The tragedy has cast a pall of gloom over the region. Local MLA Mama Natung expressed grief over the incident and appealed to residents to avoid night travel during the monsoon.
Assam too has borne the brunt of the rain fury. Guwahati, the state’s largest city, was brought to a standstill by urban floods. Five people were killed in a landslide in the Bonda area on the city’s outskirts. Authorities shut down all schools and colleges in Guwahati and Kamrup district on Saturday, and the state government declared a special casual leave for employees commuting to work.
Twelve districts in Assam have reported flood damage, with three confirmed deaths from Golaghat and Lakhimpur districts. Emergency services are stretched thin as rescue and relief operations continue amid rising water levels.
In Mizoram, disaster management authorities reported 113 landslides across the state. Five people have been killed so far, with damage to road infrastructure complicating rescue efforts.
Meghalaya reported six deaths in various incidents linked to the ongoing deluge. In Nagaland, a truck driver was killed in a rockfall incident in the Chumoukedima district.
Manipur is also reeling under nature’s fury. The Imphal River breached its banks in Imphal East district, flooding large residential areas. Flash floods and landslides have struck the hill districts of Senapati, Ukhrul, Tamenglong, Noney, and Pherzawl. Relief officials said that 277 people have been evacuated and shifted to eight relief camps.
All northeastern states are now on high alert, with more rainfall predicted. State disaster response forces and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in vulnerable areas. Authorities have urged people to remain indoors unless absolutely necessary, especially in landslide-prone zones.
The devastation comes as a grim reminder of the region’s fragility in the face of monsoon fury, compounded by fragile hill infrastructure and inadequate urban drainage. With more rains forecast, officials fear the toll may rise further in the coming days.
