Northeast India battered by rain; lakhs affected
Heavy rains continue to wreak havoc in India's Northeast region. The death toll in landslides, floods, flash floods, and lightning caused by the heavy rain across the region reached 34 since May 28. Four people died on Sunday (June 1, 2025) – two in Assam, and one each in Mizoram and Tripura.
On Sunday, the flood situation in Assam remained worrisome as 10 major rivers were flowing above the danger level. More than 3.64 lakh people across 19 districts of Assam have been affected by the floods that disrupted road transport and train services. Tripura also witnessed heavy to very heavy rainfall across multiple districts on Sunday and is expected to receive extremely heavy downpour in isolated areas till June 4.
The floods in Manipur affected more than 3,800 people and damaged at least 883 houses. The Imphal East district suffered maximum damage, as some major rivers breached embankments, flooding vast swathes of the State's capital and the surrounding localities.
Mizoram is one of the worst-affected States in the region, with officials recording landslides and landslips from 211 locations. At a review meeting headed by Chief Minister Lalduhoma, officials said 60 houses had collapsed while 69 more were deserted for fear of collapse, and seven power sub-stations suffered extensive damage, while roads were blocked at 83 locations.
In Sikkim's Mangan district, some 1,500 tourists were stranded as roads were blocked following landslides. The district's Superintendent of Police, Sonam Detchu Bhutia, told The Hindu that 1,350 of these tourists have been stuck at Lachung and 115 at Lachen.
The Indian Air Force rescued 14 people who were stranded in the middle of the flooded Bomjir River in the Lower Dibang Valley of Arunachal Pradesh. A Mi-17 helicopter was added to the rescue operations, following requests from the Arunachal Pradesh and Assam governments.
The Hindu's Editorials
The Hindu's Daily Quiz
IndiGo has given an undertaking to the DGCA to terminate the pact with which airlines?
Emirates
Singapore Airline
Turkish Airline
British Airways
To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- The Hindu
34 tourists, family members of army personnel airlifted from Sikkim's landslide hit Chaten
Altogether 34 people – 27 tourists and seven family members of the army personnel - were evacuated from landslide-affected Chaten area in north Sikkim on Tuesday, officials said. This was the first successful aerial evacuation carried out under the current emergency response plan in the state where inclement weather condition continues. "Two MI-17 V5 helicopters successfully airlifted 34 stranded individuals from Chaten to Pakyong Greenfield Airport. Among those rescued were seven family members of Army personnel and 27 tourists. The injured personnel were also onboard and are currently receiving necessary medical treatment," an official said. Three army personnel were killed and six soldiers went missing after a landslide hit a military camp at Chaten. Several others were also injured. The landslide, which occurred at 7 pm on Sunday near Lachen town in Mangan district, was triggered by heavy rainfall in the area. Search and rescue operations to find out six missing army personnel are continuing on Tuesday as a team of 23 NDRF personnel, equipped with satellite phones and essential relief equipment, reached Chaten, officials added. The NDRF has begun reconnaissance of alternate transhipment routes and is coordinating with the Indian Army for sustained support. The Army's 112nd Brigade has established a vital foot route between Lachen and Chaten enabling the possibility of phased ground movement in areas currently inaccessible by road. The state government has outlined a strategic evacuation plan whereby tourists from Lachen will be moved to Chaten via the foot route and subsequently airlifted, depending on weather conditions, officials said. However, persistent inclement weather, including heavy rainfall in Chaten, prevented any further helicopter sorties. Due to this, teams from the state administration, which were scheduled to be airlifted to Chaten during the day, will now be deployed on Wednesday to bolster relief operations on the ground. Senior officials are monitoring the evolving situation, coordinating inter-agency operations and facilitating the rapid deployment of personnel, aid, and communication infrastructure to the impacted region. Meanwhile, the state government has officially declared the situation a natural disaster, prompting an urgent and coordinated multi-agency response. Chief Secretary R Telang is leading a team which is working in close coordination with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) and Indian Army to help stranded civilians and restore critical access to the affected areas of Chaten and Lachen in Mangan district.
NDTV
11 hours ago
- NDTV
34 Airlifted From North Sikkim After Landslide, More Rescuers Flown In
Guwahati: Two Mi-17 V5 helicopters rescued 34 people from Chhaten and Lachen villages in Sikkim's Magan district, with road commute dampened by a major landslide on June 1. The first group of stranded people landed safely at Pakyong greenfield airport. Among those rescued were injured army personnel currently undergoing medical treatment, their family members, and tourists. The first sortie by the helicopter carried 30 personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to help in rescue in North Sikkim. These teams are equipped with satellite phones and other emergency supplies. According to Pravakar Rai, Director of Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA), 112 tourists are still stranded in Lachen. "Plans were made to rescue them on foot or through vehicle today, but a landslide yesterday badly damaged the road from Lachen to Chhaten, which also claimed the lives of three soldiers," Mr Rai said. The SSDMA is working closely with Mangan district officials and residents in Lachen to restore the road connection to Chhaten. The authorities are looking at possible walking routes from Lachen to Chhaten, where there is a helipad. From Chhaten, the tourists can be taken to safety by helicopter. Incessant rainfall and a cloudburst in northern Sikkim on the night of May 30-31 triggered widespread devastation, severely damaging critical roads and bridges. The River Teesta surged by 35-40 feet, snapping regional connectivity.
Indian Express
14 hours ago
- Indian Express
Six army personnel still missing after Sunday landslide in North Sikkim
A multi-agency rescue operation is underway in North Sikkim, with airlifts being used to evacuate hundreds of stranded tourists and deliver aid. Continuous torrential rain has triggered widespread landslides across North Sikkim, affecting areas such as Lachen, Lachung, Chungthang, and Phidang. Three army personnel died, and six others remain missing after a rain-triggered landslide struck a military camp at Chaten in Sikkim's Lachen district on Sunday evening. According to officials, a joint effort is being led by the Indian Army and a specialised disaster response team sent by the Centre. On Tuesday morning, a V-5 helicopter landed at Pakyong Greenfield Airport with National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams equipped with satellite phones and essential rescue gear. Two MI-17 V5 helicopters successfully airlifted 34 individuals from Chaten where the mission began earlier on Tuesday, including injured army personnel, their families, and tourists. The first sortie carried 23 NDRF personnel from Pakyong to Chaten, delivering critical supplies and establishing temporary communication lines in the severely cut-off region. Roughly 1,500 tourists stranded in Lachung were brought back via Phidang on Monday using private vehicles. However, fresh landslides on Sunday night made ground rescue efforts impossible, prompting authorities to begin air evacuation operations after consulting the Ministry of Home Affairs. As of Tuesday morning, 113 tourists remain stranded in Lachen, 40 in the Chaten army camp, and seven in the Jima area. 'Authorities have successfully established a pedestrian route between Lachen and Chaten, allowing limited ground movement of tourists. However, air rescue operations, which brought 34 people to Pakyong this morning, had to be suspended due to worsening weather. They will resume once conditions improve,' said a Sikkim administrative official. In a separate development, Sikkim Governor Om Prakash Mathur inspected the Indreni Bridge at Singtam amid rising water levels. He spoke with local officials and residents, urging caution and instructing departments to implement all necessary safety measures. Commissioner-cum-Secretary to the Governor Jitendra Singh Raje and other senior officials accompanied him. Authorities are also exploring alternate foot routes and assessing helipad feasibility, depending on weather, to ensure aid reaches all affected communities promptly. Meanwhile, the search continues for tourists missing in a May 29 road accident near Munshithang in North Sikkim, where a vehicle fell — for almost 1,000 feet — into the Teesta river. Adverse weather and high water levels have hampered efforts, but joint rescue operations have continued since the incident. On Tuesday, a search team from the Tourism and Civil Aviation Department surveyed the area around the accident site. This was led by Joint Director (Adventure) Kazi Sherpa who was accompanied by Deputy Director Manoj Chettri, Tourist Officer Anup Subba, and Information Assistant Sonam Pintso Bhutia. They were joined by officials from the district tourism office in Mangan and the IHCAE team. The search operation is being conducted in coordination with the local administration, police (led by SDM and SDPO Chungthang), Fire and Emergency Services, Forest Department, TAAS, and other stakeholders. Family members of the missing tourists were also present at the site for firsthand updates. Simultaneously, NDRF teams conducted an extensive riverbed search. On June 1 and 2, NDRF and Tourism Department personnel scoured 3-4 km downstream. Also, an SDRF team led by ASI Dawa Sherpa has been searching along the river belts of Toong, Ritchu Khola, Chungthang, and further downstream. 'The search operation continues under challenging conditions, and every effort is being made to locate the missing tourists,' stated a release from the District Information Office (DIO), Mangan District, North Sikkim. Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics. With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences. Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More
