Heavy rains trigger deadly landslides, floods across northeast & south India; claim at least 20 lives

ITANAGAR/ GUWAHATI: Heavy rainfall over the past 48 hours has caused severe flooding, landslides and disruption in Northeast India, claiming at least 18 lives in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. In Southern states of Karnataka and Kerala incessant rains and flooding have resulted in loss of many lives and affected tens of thousands.

Assam reported five deaths from landslides in Kamrup Metropolitan district, including three women who were killed in a landslide near Guwahati’s Bonda area, Urban Affairs Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah confirmed. Flooding affected more than 10,000 people in six districts, including Kamrup, Cachar, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, and Golaghat, where two relief camps and one distribution centre have been set up.

A red alert remains in effect for 18 districts amid heavy rain and gusty winds. Massive waterlogging was reported in Guwahati, forcing closure of schools and special leave for government employees.

In Arunachal Pradesh, flash floods caused by the overflowing Sigin River in Upper Subansiri district inundated Daporijo town and several colonies.

Seven members of two families lost their lives after their vehicle was swept off the road by a landslide late Friday night along the Bana-Seppa stretch of National Highway 13 in East Kameng district, police said.

The vehicle was en route to Seppa from Bana in Bichom district when a sudden landslide triggered by heavy rainfall pushed it into a deep gorge, said East Kameng Superintendent of Police (SP) Kamdam Sikom. All the victims were residents of Kitchang village in Bana, officials said.

Rescue efforts were severely hampered by torrential rain, fresh landslides, and extremely poor visibility through the night. Despite these challenges, police and rescue teams continued their efforts.

“On Saturday, the operation resumed with vital support from local villagers. After several hours of a painstaking search, the wreckage was located approximately 150 metres below the highway,” Sikom said, adding that all seven occupants were found dead inside.

The deceased have been identified as 35-year-old Shankar alias Saju Budi Aka, owner of the vehicle, his wife Tasum Budi Aka (25), who was four months pregnant, his daughter Kachung Budi Aka (8) and four-year-old son Nicha Budi Aka, the SP said.

Another pregnant woman Jajum Yame (33) also died along with her five-year-old daughter Tushum Yame and seven-year-old son Patiya Yame, the SP added.

In a separate incident in Lower Subansiri district, two labourers were killed and two others rescued after a landslide struck a cabbage farm near the Pine Groove area along the Ziro-Kamle road, police said.

The incident occurred late Thursday night at the Rann Poliyan Cabbage Farm, said Lower Subansiri Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ojing Lego.

In Upper Subansiri, flash floods caused extensive damage in Daporijo, the district headquarters, after the Sigin river overflowed, inundating several low-lying areas, they said.

At least 117 houses, along with several vital infrastructure in the district, were affected due to inclement weather conditions. The most impacted localities include Polo colony, Sigum Rijo, Sigin colony, Bukpen colony, and Forest colony, the officials said.

Upper Subansiri Deputy Commissioner Tasso Gambo, along with additional DC Biaro Sorum and other district officials, visited the affected areas to assess the damage and oversee response measures.

The DC has issued a prohibitory order urging residents in vulnerable areas to stay alert and relocate to safer places.

All departments concerned, police and disaster management teams, have been placed on high alert and directed to remain prepared for any emergency, said Upper Subansiri District Information and Public Relations Officer (DIPRO) Taw Ekke.

In West Kameng district, hundreds of people have been stranded at 35 Charai near Jamiri, along the Balipara-Chariduar-Tawang (BCT) road, another official said.

Road blockades have also been reported at Jyoti Nagar, Dirang, Padma, and Durga Mandir in the district.

District Disaster Management Officer (DDMO) Mindu Yangzom said Border Roads Organisation (BRO) teams and machinery have been deployed near Jamiri, though continuous rain has hampered restoration efforts.

A major landslide in Petaling colony in Bomdila, the district headquarters, on Friday washed away portions of roads and culverts and an abandoned house.

Though no casualties were reported, landslides caused disruptions in power supply.

Road connectivity between Nafra-Nakhu-Nachibom villages in West Kameng and Bichom district was cut off due to landslides at several points, leaving many commuters stranded. The DDMO in West Kameng district has issued an advisory, urging people to avoid landslide-prone areas, streams, and unstable zones.

Citizens have been warned against venturing into water bodies for fishing or hunting and advised to evacuate immediately in case of flash floods or landslides.

Landslides have also been reported from Kurung Kumey, Kamle, and Lower Subansiri districts, where authorities are working to clear blockades and restore traffic movement.

In Meghalaya, two girls died after being struck by lightning, while another person drowned.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast widespread rainfall due to a depression over Bangladesh. Light to moderate rain is expected in most areas, with heavy to very heavy rainfall likely in several regions.

Isolated places may experience extremely heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and lightning, increasing the risk of floods and landslides in vulnerable locations.

Mizoram’s Lawngtlai town witnessed the collapse of five houses and a hotel due to landslides on Friday night. Several Myanmar nationals staying in the hotel are feared trapped under debris, one person is feared to have died in the incident. Rescue operations involving the State Disaster Response Force and local volunteers are underway. The state has been hit by torrential rains since Friday, causing multiple landslides and rockfalls.

Nagaland and Tripura each reported one death on Friday due to rain-related incidents.

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) bulletin said floods in urban areas have been reported in five revenue circles of three districts – Kamrup Metropolitan, Kamrup and Cachar.

A total of 10,150 people have been affected, with two camps and one relief distribution centre being opened.

Floods in urban areas have also been reported in eight revenue circles of three districts, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur and Golaghat, the bulletin said.

Nearly 2,000 people have been affected, though no camps or relief distribution centres are operational in the flood-hit urban areas till now. One ‘ring bandh’ (a type of dyke) has been breached under the North Lakhimpur revenue circle.

A ‘red alert’ was sounded for as many as 18 districts on Friday, with the state facing an ‘abnormal situation’ due to incessant downpours caused by massive cloud cover over several parts of the northeast, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said. Educational institutions have also been closed in the two districts on Saturday. Flight services at Guwahati airport were affected on Friday due to heavy rain and gusty winds, the officials said.

Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district on Friday reported five deaths due to landslides triggered by heavy rain.

A house collapse in Montepadavu Kodi buried six family members, including two toddlers and their grandmother.

In Uttarakhand, a 38-year-old man died and five others were injured after a landslide struck a vehicle on the Kedarnath National Highway near Kund, close to Guptkashi in Rudraprayag district.

The vehicle was carrying pilgrims from Chhattisgarh to Kedarnath when it was hit by debris. Rescue and relief operations were launched immediately by the local administration and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). The injured were rushed to Augustmuni Hospital. Officials said two of the pilgrims were seriously injured, while three others suffered minor injuries.

Monsoon rains have caused severe flooding across several districts in Kerala, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate low-lying areas and seek shelter in relief camps. In Kasaragod district, overflowing Madhuvahini River submerged roads and flooded homes, with residents moving to upper floors to escape rising waters. Similar flooding and heavy downpours have affected Kozhikode and Kannur districts, where locals have kept wooden and fiber boats ready amid fears of further displacement.

Authorities have opened 46 relief camps in Kottayam district, sheltering over 1,100 people, while Alappuzha district currently hosts 851 evacuees across 26 camps, with 19 houses destroyed on Friday alone. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast continued moderate to heavy rainfall accompanied by strong surface winds reaching gusts of up to 50 kmph in multiple districts, including Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Alappuzha, and Kottayam. The situation remains critical as swollen rivers and tributaries continue to inundate vulnerable areas.

Meanwhile, several higher-altitude areas in Jammu and Kashmir received fresh snowfall on Saturday, including Tulail and Razdan Top in Gurez valley, Peer Ki Gali in Shopian, and Zojila Pass on the Srinagar-Leh highway.

Authorities closed the Bandipora-Gurez road as a precaution. Meanwhile, the plains, including Srinagar, were lashed by rain, causing temperatures to drop.