At Least 30 Dead As Landslides, Flash Floods Triggered By Heavy Rains Devastate Northeast

At least 30 people have lost their lives in the northeast over the past two days due to landslides and flash floods.

14 fatalities have been reported across the region as a result of these natural disasters today itself, reported NDTV.

Photo Credit: PTI

The states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, and Mizoram have all been affected. In Assam, some 60,000 people across 12 districts have been impacted.

In Assam, five people died in landslides over the past 24 hours following continuous heavy rainfall, which also caused flooding in six districts, affecting over 10,000 people.

All five fatalities occurred in the Kamrup Metropolitan district, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).

Urban Affairs Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah stated on Friday that three women had been killed in a landslide in the Bonda area on the outskirts of Guwahati.

The city also recorded 111 mm of rainfall in a single day, breaking a 67-year-old record. The water levels of many rivers across the northeast, including the Brahmaputra, have risen significantly.

The Met Office has issued red and orange warnings for parts of Assam, while the rest of the northeast is under orange and yellow alerts.

In Arunachal Pradesh, nine people have died due to flash floods and landslides.

In a particularly harrowing incident last night, seven members of two families were killed after their Brezza vehicle was swept into a deep gorge by a landslide along the NH-13 stretch between Bana and Seppa.

Family members confirmed the identities of the victims at the site. Another vehicle, a Sumo, was caught at the edge of the landslide zone, but no casualties were reported.

Arunachal Pradesh Home Minister Mama Natung, who represents the affected constituency, shared a message of condolence on Facebook:

"It is extremely distressing to hear about the tragic loss of seven lives in my Assembly constituency due to a landslide on NH-13 between Bana and Seppa. My deepest sympathies are with the bereaved families during this difficult time. I urge everyone to remain alert and avoid travelling at night during the monsoon season. My thoughts and prayers are with the families. May the departed souls rest in peace. Om Shanti Shanti."

Authorities are working to ensure safety along the highway as monsoon conditions continue.

Elsewhere in Arunachal Pradesh, a major landslide struck the Cabbage Garden area and a nearby restaurant near Pine Grove in Ziro late last night, claiming the lives of two individuals - a man and a woman - both originally from Lakhimpur, Assam.

The victims had been working at the restaurant when the landslide occurred after hours of relentless rainfall.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Ojing Lego confirmed that their bodies were recovered and handed over to their families. Search and rescue efforts were swiftly undertaken by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and local residents.