Relentless monsoon rains have plunged large parts of Northeast India into chaos, triggering landslides, flash floods, and severe infrastructure collapse.
Representative Image (IANS)
Relentless monsoon rains have plunged large parts of Northeast India into chaos, triggering landslides, flash floods, and severe infrastructure collapse.
With major highways blocked, towns waterlogged, and villages cut off, normal life has come to a standstill in several states, even as meteorological warnings suggest the worst may not be over yet.
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In Manipur, a massive landslide in Tamenglong district has completely blocked National Highway-37 — a vital lifeline that connects Imphal to Silchar in Assam via Jiribam.
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The landslide, which struck around 7 am Friday near Nungdalal between K. Sinam and Nungnang villages, spans about 30 meters and has left over 200 vehicles stranded on both sides of the road.
The affected vehicles include essential supply carriers such as oil and LPG tankers on route from Silchar, as well as empty trucks returning from Manipur.
The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL) has deployed excavators to clear the debris, but continuous rainfall is hampering operations and further delaying traffic restoration.
In neighbouring Assam, the state capital Guwahati bore the brunt of heavy rainfall compounded by massive runoff from the Meghalaya hills.
On Thursday, several localities, including Rukminigaon, Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagar, Beltola, Hatigaon, and Wireless, were inundated, with knee-deep water submerging roads and houses.
The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) launched rescue operations using boats, especially in Rukminigaon where residents were trapped.
According to officials from the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), the city’s drainage infrastructure was overwhelmed by the excessive runoff, leading to large-scale urban flooding.
In Majuli, the world’s largest river island, a flood-swollen Brahmaputra washed away a 350-meter bamboo bridge in the Bhakat Chapori area, cutting off 17 villages from the mainland.
In Meghalaya, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert across several districts, forecasting extremely heavy rainfall through May 31.
In East Khasi Hills, a landslide occurred near Pynursla on Thursday following incessant rain. While no casualties were reported, the incident has heightened fears of further slope failures in the days ahead.
Arunachal Pradesh has also been hit hard. Torrential rain in West Kameng district caused landslides that have stranded vehicles near Jamiri, disrupting traffic flow and cutting off access to remote areas.
Road clearance efforts have been suspended due to continuous downpours, and parts of Bomdila town are reportedly without electricity.
The IMD has meanwhile issued red alerts not only for Assam, Meghalaya, and Tripura but also for parts of Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh.
A deep depression over the northwest Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify rainfall over the region until the end of the month. Thunderstorms, lightning, and squally winds have been forecast across much of the region, and authorities have been advised to remain on high alert.
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