Northeast Floods Claim Six More Lives; Total Deaths Reach 25

Floods and rain-induced landslips have claimed six lives across Assam and Meghalaya over the past 48 hours, bringing the total death toll in the northeastern region to at least 25 since the last week of June, officials said on Monday.

The flood situation in Assam worsened, affecting 3.63 lakh people across 16 districts in the eastern, central, western, and southern parts of the state. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) confirmed five deaths—three men and two girls—in Jorhat and Karbi Anglong districts.

“A total of 794 villages are inundated, and a total crop area of 19099.59 hectares has been affected. More than 34,900 people have been shifted to relief camps across the 16 districts,” an ASDMA spokesperson said.

“Five rivers—Brahmaputra, Buridihing, Dikhou, Disang, and Dhansiri—are flowing above the danger level at some places. Sivasagar, Charaideo, and Jorhat are the worst-hit districts with a total of 3.13 lakh people affected,” she added.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said he instructed four of his Cabinet colleagues to visit the flood-affected districts and oversee rescue and relief operations.

“I have directed officials to ensure adequate food grain supplies across all flood-affected areas. Every department has been placed on high alert and is working in coordination to minimise the impact of the floods,” he said.

The Chief Minister’s Office said rescue and relief operations were underway. In Sivasagar, 510 people were safely rescued by the State Disaster Response Force and the Fire and Emergency Services. Additional boats and Army helicopters were deployed to reach inaccessible areas.

The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) reported that the overflowing Dikhow River and severe flooding in and around Simaluguri town in Sivasagar district have affected operations in the eastern half of Assam.

“The floodwaters have inundated the Simaluguri station yard, railway tracks, railway colony, and adjoining areas. Water has also overtopped the railway track in the Simaluguri section,” said Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, NFR’s chief spokesperson.

The India Meteorological Department has forecast continued rainfall across the state over the next two days.

In Meghalaya, a rain-induced landslip killed a child in a village under the Mawhati Assembly constituency of Ri-Bhoi district. Road links to several parts of the state have been cut off, officials said.

In Nagaland, the Konyak Union said the death toll in Sunday’s landslips in Mon town rose to nine. The union urged the government to declare an emergency in Mon district following widespread devastation caused by incessant monsoon rain. The Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority warned of widespread thunderstorms and intermittent rainfall over the next four days. Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio visited Mon on Monday to assess conditions and conducted an aerial survey of affected areas Tizit and Tuli.

Earlier in June, at least five people died in flash floods caused by a cloudburst in Arunachal Pradesh’s Keyi Panyor district.