Severe Flooding in Northeast India Claims 44 Lives
Flood Crisis in the Northeast
Guwahati, June 4: The flood situation in the Northeast continues to be dire, with the death toll rising to 44 across seven states as of Wednesday.
Officials from the impacted regions report that Assam has the highest fatalities, totaling 17, followed by Arunachal Pradesh with 12, Meghalaya with 6, Mizoram with 5, and Tripura with 2. Additionally, one death each has been recorded in Nagaland and Manipur.
Disaster management authorities from the seven northeastern states, excluding Sikkim, indicated that the fatalities resulted from drowning, landslides, waterlogging, and other rain-related incidents.
In Assam, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has noted that over 650,000 individuals across 21 districts have been affected by the ongoing floods and heavy rainfall.
Arunachal Pradesh has seen more than 1,000 residents impacted by flooding in 156 villages across 23 of its 26 districts.
A senior official from the state's disaster management department reported that Lower Subansiri district experienced the most destruction, with approximately 170 homes lost.
The district also faced significant infrastructure damage, including over 50 roads, 16 power lines, 25 water supply lines, and two schools.
In Mizoram, five individuals have died in the last ten days due to landslides, house collapses, and other disasters caused by relentless rain.
An official from the state's Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Department confirmed that three Myanmar refugees perished in Champhai district, with additional fatalities in Aizawl and Serchhip districts due to landslides and flash floods.
During this period, Mizoram recorded 552 landslides across various districts, with 152 homes either collapsing or suffering severe damage.
Champhai, located on the eastern border with Myanmar, is the most affected district, reporting 209 landslides and damage to 10 houses.
Conversely, the flood situation has shown signs of improvement in Tripura, Meghalaya, and Nagaland.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi contacted the Chief Ministers of Assam and Sikkim, along with Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, to assess the flood situation.
He assured that the Centre would provide all necessary support for relief, rehabilitation, and flood management efforts throughout the region.