NEW DELHI, May 31 — Heavy rainfall over the past two days triggered landslides and widespread flooding in India‘s northeast and south, killing at least 18 people and affecting thousands of others, officials said Saturday.
Torrential rains hit the northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram and Tripura. According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), five people were killed due to a landslide in Kamrup Metropolitan district.
The ongoing flooding affected more than 10,000 people in six districts. Authorities have set up two relief camps and one distribution center for the affected population.
“Due to heavy to very heavy rainfall in several districts of Assam, the rivers are flowing above danger level with a rising trend, prompting flood alerts in vulnerable areas,” ASDMA in a statement, said.
“Very heavy rainfall is likely to continue over the next two to three days.” Reports said that amid heavy rain and gusty winds, a red alert remains in effect for 18 districts of the state.
In the adjacent state of Mizoram, several people are feared dead after five houses and a hotel were hit by a devastating landslide at Lawngtlai town.
According to India‘s state-run broadcaster, All India Radio, authorities have launched rescue efforts to trace the missing trapped beneath the rubble.
Mizoram has been experiencing heavy rain since Friday, leading to landslides and rockfalls in several areas. In Meghalaya, three people died in East Khasi Hills district due to rain-related incidents.
Over 1,000 residents across 25 villages have been affected by landslides, flash floods, and power outages. Flooding also damaged roads and inundated schools in the affected districts.
Reports said Nagaland and Tripura each reported one death due to rain-related incidents on Friday. In the northern state of 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 in Rudraprayag district. In the southwestern state of Karnataka, at least seven people were killed in rain-related incidents.
Heavy rain accompanied by strong winds lashed the coastal district of Dakshina Kannada, bordering Kerala. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), heavy rainfall with sustained winds is expected to continue in Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu districts until Monday. (Xinhua)
