Incessant rain batters Assam, Guwahati hit by severe waterlogging; red alert issued

NEW DELHI: Incessant rain lashed most parts of Assam on Friday, including the state capital Guwahati, which witnessed widespread waterlogging, disrupting daily life and traffic movement across the city. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, addressing a press conference at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Guwahati, said the situation remained grim and was likely to persist through Saturday. “Due to heavy rainfall in Assam, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh, large areas have been affected. The state government is closely monitoring the situation,” he said. In view of the weather, all state government employees in Kamrup and Kamrup (Metro) districts have been granted special casual leave for Saturday.

Schools and colleges will remain closed, and private establishments have been advised to take necessary precautions. Several parts of Guwahati, including Rukminigaon, Beltola Survey, Hatigaon, Geetanagar, Anil Nagar, Lakhimi Nagar, Jatia, Maligaon, and Panjabari, were submerged following continuous rainfall since morning. The CM also said Meghalaya Chief Minister has been invited to Guwahati on June 2 to discuss the issue of rampant hill cutting, which he said is contributing to recurring floods and landslides in both states, especially in Guwahati.

Meanwhile, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Guwahati, has issued a red alert for May 31 in Chirang, Baksa, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Bajali, Tamulpur, and Darrang districts. Three incidents of landslides were reported in Guwahati during the day, but no casualties were reported. Officials said a well-marked low-pressure area over the Northwest Bay of Bengal off the Odisha coast is expected to intensify into a depression, potentially bringing more heavy rain, thunderstorms, and gusty winds to several districts in Assam. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has cautioned residents about possible waterlogging, traffic disruptions, tree falls, and localised landslides if heavy rains continue in Guwahati.