Sunday, 01 June 2025
Sunday, 01 June 2025
Relentless rain pounded Manipur, Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram in the last 24 hours, pushing parts of the northeast region into crisis mode.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for several districts in Assam and Manipur, warning of extremely heavy rainfall and winds as the southwest monsoon progresses deeper into the region.
“Heavy (7-11 cm in 24 hours) to very heavy rain (12-20 cm in 24 hours) is very likely to occur at a few places with isolated extremely heavy rainfall (21 cm and more in 24 hours) over the districts of Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara, Baksa, Bajali, Bongaigaon, West Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, Cachar, Hailakandi and Sribhumi districts, accompanied by squally wind at a speed of 40-50 kmph gusting up to 60 kmph,” the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) stated in its special weather bulletin for Friday, reported The Times Of India.
In Guwahati, although the rainfall was moderate — recorded at 8 cm — it was enough to submerge several parts of the city. The downpour exposed the city’s inadequate drainage infrastructure. City authorities are monitoring the situation and have activated emergency response teams.
The trigger for the current spell of rain is a well-marked low-pressure area over the Northwest Bay of Bengal off the Odisha coast, expected to intensify into a depression within 24 hours.
The IMD has warned that its associated cyclonic circulation could lead to “widespread heavy to extremely heavy rain, thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds” across lower and western Assam districts, including Kamrup (Metro), Kamrup, Barpeta, Chirang, and Goalpara.
The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has asked residents to stay indoors during intense rainfall. “We urge the public, especially in Guwahati, to take necessary precautions and avoid unnecessary travel during this period,” said an ASDMA spokesperson, reported India Today NE.
The authority has also advised people in flood-prone areas to be prepared for possible emergencies and continue following official advisories.
In Meghalaya, continuous overnight rainfall has created severe waterlogging along National Highway-6, especially affecting 9th Mile, 12th Mile, and Jorabat areas near the flyover. Ri Bhoi police confirmed that traffic congestion persists, though vehicles are still moving at reduced speeds.
Authorities are working round the clock to normalise conditions. The police have begun clearing fallen trees that have blocked multiple sections of NH-6 and other arterial roads. Reports of tree falls continue to come in, and clearance operations are ongoing.
The Meghalaya state disaster management authority has activated emergency protocols. Citizens can now call hotlines 112 and 1070 for immediate help. These emergency lines will remain operational 24/7 through the monsoon season to ensure quick mobilisation during critical incidents.
In Mizoram, continuous rainfall since Wednesday has triggered landslides across several regions.
A 37-year-old man was killed and another injured after a wall collapsed on a labourers' camp in the wake of heavy rain in Aizawl district, police said.
“Due to heavy inundation of rainfall in the past several hours in Aizawl district, all schools within Aizawl district have been instructed to declare holiday on Friday,” read a notification issued by Aizawl Deputy Commissioner Lalhriatpuia.
Landslides have blocked highways, though no casualties have been reported so far. Lawngtlai district received 112.50 mm of rainfall, followed by Serchhip (70 mm), Kolasib (63.70 mm), and Aizawl (63.60 mm).
In Aizawl’s Mauchar village, a building was swept away by a landslide early Friday near the Assam-Manipur border. Officials confirmed there were no injuries.
The forecast issued by the IMD predicts continued heavy rainfall across the region until at least June 1.
In Manipur, waterlogging was reported in the state capital Imphal, affecting areas such as Kakwa, Thangmeiband, and Sagolband in Imphal West district. Rising water levels in the Imphal and Serou rivers have raised concerns.
According to the IMD’s Meteorological Centre in Imphal, Moreh again topped the state’s rainfall chart with 102 mm on Thursday, followed by Kamjong (96 mm), Chandel (76 mm), and Ukhrul (60.8 mm).
In Senapati district, the deputy commissioner issued a public notice warning of “extremely heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning, and strong winds on Friday.”
The notice added that rain would likely continue through June 3 and advised people to “avoid travel during periods of intense rainfall or strong wind and to postpone outdoor activities including farming and fishing until the situation improves.”
Chandel district police advised locals to avoid fishing or venturing near the Chakpi river banks where water levels had surged.
Tripura saw partial disruption of normal life on Friday due to intermittent rain. The IMD forecast predicted “heavy to very heavy showers for the next 24 hours with squally wind speed reaching 50-60 km across the state.” Agartala received 25 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours.
“A red alert was sounded in three districts—Sepahijala, West and Khowai—for Thursday. Despite intermittent downpour there was no report of flood,” said an official of the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).
Flight operations were also impacted, with two Kolkata-to-Agartala flights cancelled on Thursday. However, services resumed on Friday.
“All eight districts of the state recorded rainfall and there was no loss of property or life. However, normal life was partially affected across the state due to intermittent downpour with people preferring to remain indoors,” an official said.
All district administrations remain on standby to respond to any worsening of the situation.
