Heavy rain lashed large swathes of northeastern states, including Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, worsening the flood situation in several places as the Met department forecast more downpour in the next five days in the region.
Two children were crushed to death when a landslide led to a house collapse in Azad Nagar area of Goalpara district in Assam, and two persons drowned in floodwater in Dima Hasao and Udalguri, raising the toll due to floods and landslides in the state this year rose to 46, officials said.
The two deceased children were identified as 11-year-old Hussain Ali and eight-year-old Asma Khatoon.
What did the Met department say?
Extremely heavy rain was recorded at isolated places in Meghalaya, Assam, sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim and heavy to very heavy downpour in Nagaland and Tripura, an official of the Met department said.
The weatherman forecast widespread thundershowers with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall over all the northeastern states and adjoining sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim during the next five days.
"Isolated extremely heavy rainfall is also likely over Assam and Meghalaya from June 16 to 18," the Met department said in its forecast.
The southwest monsoon, which has covered all the northeastern states and parts of sub-Himalayan West Bengal, is likely to advance further in another two to three days into the remaining areas of sub-Himalayan West Bengal, some parts of Gangetic Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha, the Met office said.
Isolated heavy rainfall is also likely in Bihar and Jharkhand till June 19 and in Odisha till June 17, it said.
What is the situation in Meghalaya and Assam?
Sohra in Meghalaya recorded the highest rainfall in 24 hours till 8.30 am of Thursday at 70 cm, followed by Kokrajhar (32 cm), Gosaingaon (32 cm), Goalpara (23 cm) and Nalbari (23 cm) in Assam, Jalpaiguri (23 cm), Hasimara (22 cm) and Alipurduar (21 cm) in sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Bhalukpong (10 cm) in Arunachal Pradesh, the Met department said.
The downpour caused injuries to three persons in Noonmati area of Guwahati, as multiple landslides were reported across the city during the day.
In several areas, including Joypur in Kharguli area, Bonda Colony, South Sarania, Amayapur in Geetanagar and 12 Mile, debris pileups led to road blockades.
At least 18 districts in Assam are experiencing heavy rain, with the inundation of fresh areas reported from Kamrup, Nalbari and Barpeta districts.
Nearly 75,000 people have been affected by floods in the 18 districts.
Water level in river Brahmaputra and its tributaries are on the rise, while river Manas was flowing above the danger mark in some places.
Normal life in Assam's largest city Guwahati has been largely affected due to waterlogging in most parts for the third consecutive day with areas such as Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagae, Zoo Road, Six Mile, Noonmati, Bhootnath, Maligaon figuring among the worst-affected.
The administration has urged people not to venture out of their homes unless necessary.
Deputy commissioners in Lower Assam districts have also issued directives to educational institutions to suspend classes till Saturday.
District authorities have opened seven camps and nine relief distribution centres for assisting locals. A total of 1,224 people have taken shelter in the relief camps – of which 677 are in Kamrup Metropolitan area.
According to a bulletin issued by Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 13 embankments were breached, and 64 roads and a bridge were damaged due to the deluge.
(With PTI Inputs)
