Northeast India Floods: Monsoon Rains Claim 30 Lives

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Women using cycle rickshaws navigate through a flooded street after heavy rainfall in Guwahati, Assam, India on May 31, 2025 — AFP

At least 30 people have died in northeast India following intense monsoon rains over the past two days, according to officials on Sunday.

According to state disaster management authorities, eight individuals lost their lives in Assam and nine in Arunachal Pradesh, many of whom perished in landslides triggered by the saturated earth.

Five deaths were reported due to a landslide in Mizoram, with state officials confirming the toll.

Six fatalities occurred in Meghalaya, while at least two more were recorded in Nagaland and Tripura.

A red alert has been issued for multiple districts in the area after an uninterrupted downpour for the last three days.

Rivers, including the mighty Brahmaputra—which originates in the Himalayas and meanders through northeastern India toward its delta in Bangladesh—overflowed their banks due to the relentless rain.

The Indian Army reported that they executed a large-scale rescue operation in Manipur, saving hundreds of individuals.

“People have been relocated to safer areas,” the army stated on Saturday, adding that they provided food, water, and essential medications.

Conrad K. Sangma, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, has instructed officials to stay alert, particularly in landslide-prone and low-lying regions, he remarked in an announcement.

Each year during monsoon season, which spans from June to September, a significant number of lives are lost in India, a nation of 1.4 billion people, due to flash floods and landslides.

India’s monsoon season brings relief from the scorching summer heat and is vital for replenishing water supplies, yet it also results in widespread devastation and loss of life.

As South Asia experiences rising temperatures and altering weather patterns in recent years, scientists are still examining the implications of a warming planet on monsoon behavior.

Last month, India’s financial hub, Mumbai, faced severe rainfall from the monsoon, arriving two weeks earlier than expected, marking the earliest onset in nearly 25 years, as per meteorologists.