GUWAHATI: At least 24 people have been killed in last 24 hours as heavy rain triggered flash floods, landslides and widespread devastation across the northeastern states. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red alerts for the states, warning of more downpours in the coming days.
According to officials, 18 deaths were reported on Saturday – nine from Arunachal Pradesh, five from Assam and four from Mizoram. On Friday, six people died – three in Meghalaya and one each in Nagaland, Mizoram and Tripura. Officials in Arunachal said seven people lost their lives when a landslide struck their vehicle, and it fell into a deep gorge. The deceased, including four children and two pregnant women, were from two families.
The incident occurred on the Bana-Seppa Road in East Kameng district late Friday night when the victims were travelling from Bana to East Kameng district headquarters, Seppa. All the bodies were recovered by rescue teams following efforts through the night. A second passenger vehicle narrowly escaped after being caught in the same landslide.
In another incident of a landslide, two labourers died in the state’s Lower Subansiri district. Two others were rescued. The incident occurred along the Ziro-Kamle Road. The torrential rains hit several districts of the state. Extensive damage was reported from the Upper Subansiri district, officials said.
In Mizoram, five members of a family were swept away by flash floods in Champhai district. Two were later rescued, but three lost their lives. The victims were said to be refugees from Myanmar. In another incident in Serchhip, a man died when a landslide struck his house. Lawngtlai district was also hit by multiple landslides, in which a hotel and some houses collapsed. Two people were trapped in the debris of the hotel, but both were rescued.
“Landslides struck three localities of Guwahati in Assam, killing five people, including children,” the Assam State Disaster Management Authority said in a bulletin. The roads in Guwahati turned into rivers, disrupting vehicular traffic and throwing daily life out of gear.
Guwahati and Silchar are facing urban floods with rapid rise of floodwaters in urban areas due to limited infiltration and heavy rainfall events, affecting more than 10,000 people. Several relief camps have been set up for those displaced.
“Five revenue circles in three districts, including Kamrup, Kamrup Metro, and Cachar, have been affected by the urban flood. 10,150 have been affected, and two relief camps have been established. Five deaths due to landslides in Kamrup Metro have been reported in the last 24 hours,” an official said. Educational institutions in Mizoram have remained shut since Thursday. Similarly, schools and colleges in Guwahati remained closed on Saturday.
The Manipur government said incidents of landslides were reported from the hill districts of Tamenglong, Ukhrul, Noney and Pherzawl. Following incessant rainfall for the past four days, the water level of other major rivers such as the Nambul, Iril, and Nambol is also flowing at warning levels.