More than 30 killed as floods and landslides devastate northeast India

Independent

2 days ago

At least 32 people have been killed and tens of thousands displaced across northeastern India after relentless monsoon rains caused flash floods and landslides, overwhelming infrastructure and cutting off communities in five states.
Rivers have breached embankments in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Manipur, washing away roads and submerging entire villages.
In Assam, the Brahmaputra has flooded 175 villages in 12 districts, affecting some 58,000 people. The state has reported at least eight deaths so far, including five in the capital Guwahati, due to landslides.
Assam's chief minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, said electricity had been disconnected in several areas to cut the risk of electrocution.
State authorities have set up 52 relief camps for about 10,000 people while the Indian air force has airlifted 14 people stranded on a river island in Arunachal Pradesh. The state has reported nine fatalities, many due to landslides.
In Manipur, torrential rains have triggered severe flooding in the Imphal Valley, damaging hundreds of homes and displacing thousands of people. Emergency repairs are underway to prevent further inundation.
The Imphal river breached its embankments at multiple points, flooding several areas around the state capital city. The army has evacuated over 1,500 people from flood-affected areas in Imphal East and West.
Tripura has opened 60 relief camps sheltering around 10,600 people from 2,800 families. Agartala has received 140mm of rainfall over the past 24 hours and Kailashahar in Unakoti district 192.2mm. The state government has deployed 14 rescue teams to assist in relief efforts.
Mizoram has seen six people die, including three Myanmarese nationals who perished when a hotel collapsed during a landslide.
Meghalaya has reported seven deaths due to landslides, drowning and lightning strikes.
In Sikkim, nearly 1,500 tourists remain stranded in the Mangan district after heavy rains triggered landslides and damaged key bridges, including the Phidang Bridge.
Road connectivity to the Lachung area has been restored and evacuation work started. However, a search for at least eight missing tourists has been suspended due to rising water levels in the Teesta river.
The India Meteorological Department has forecast continued heavy rainfall in the region, raising concerns about further flooding and landslides.
The situation remains critical, with many areas still inaccessible and thousands awaiting aid.
The government has urged residents in vulnerable areas to remain vigilant and follow safety advisories.
Authorities are actively engaged in rescue and relief operations, but challenging weather conditions continue to hamper efforts.
The devastation comes just days after rainwaters inundated Mumbai and other parts of western India with the early onset of the monsoon season. Studies show the monsoon in South Asia is getting worse due to the climate crisis, with a rise in the number of "extreme rain days", which means more rainfall falling over shorter periods, overwhelming the infrastructure.