New Delhi: At least five people have died across Northeast India due to torrential downpours, while Assam remains on high alert for floods and landslides. Relentless rains have battered the region since Thursday, causing widespread disruption, with roads submerged, homes damaged, and hundreds seeking refuge. And in several places, local and state officials are warning that the worst could still be on the way, as a system bringing heavy rain is expected to persist through the weekend.
On Saturday, May 31, Assam’s Disaster Management Authority issued a red alert in the state, which asked people living in low-lying and hilly areas to be on alert. The embankments in several districts are on the verge of breaching as the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries have increased considerably. Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, and Goalpara are worst affected by inundated farmland and cut-off communication. A state official stated, “We are closely monitoring the situation and have dispatched rescue teams to the general area.”
The five deaths occurred in different incidents. In the Cachar district, the deluge triggered a landslide that buried a family house, resulting in two fatalities. In separate incidents, three additional individuals drowned in flash floods that occurred in rural areas. Authorities are working round the clock, but roadways are waterlogged in many areas, and many of these are just inaccessible by road.
The monsoon’s wrath is exposing northeastern states like Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh, and others, too, to the angst. Meghalaya has closed its schools and experienced frequent power cuts. Arunachal Pradesh suffered damage to its bridges and highways, making it more difficult to reach remote villages. With mountainous terrain, the region is vulnerable to landslides, leading authorities to evacuate settlements at risk.
Local residents have taken to X to post images of flooded streets and appeals for help as the anxiousness turns to alarm. “Assam is in a critical condition — entire villages gone underwater,” one user tweeted. The sentiment reflects the depth of the crisis as families prepare for more rain.
The India Meteorological Department has predicted “very heavy” to “extremely heavy” showers in Assam and the adjoining areas until Monday. Jatapal has arranged relief camps and kept NDRF on standby. But with rivers swollen and hillsides perched in instability, the Northeast has a tenuous couple of days ahead of it. At the moment, the region is bracing itself for the impending storm.
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