32 Dead as Floods, Landslides Hit Northeast During Early Monsoon
Floods and landslides triggered by heavy monsoon rains killed 32 across Northeast India, damaging homes, submerging villages, and disrupting life in five states.
At least 32 people have lost their lives in the past 24 hours due to devastating floods and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall across five northeastern states of India. The rains, caused by a depression over north Bangladesh and adjoining Meghalaya, have battered Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh, leading to widespread destruction, displacement, and panic among residents.
In Assam, nine people were reported dead. Two fatalities occurred in Lakhimpur district after excessive water released from the Ranganadi dam inundated several villages bordering Arunachal Pradesh. In Guwahati, a landslide in the Bonda area claimed five lives, including three children. The victims were identified as Poonam Goswami, her minor daughter, and a neighbouring minor girl. The mudslide buried their home on Friday evening. Two more deaths, including that of a child, were confirmed in Golaghat district by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), which reported that 12 districts are currently affected by flooding.
This year, Guwahati, the capital of Assam, has been severely affected by monsoon floods, resulting in significant damage and loss of life. Torrential rains triggered landslides and urban flooding, killing at least five people in the Kamrup Metro district . The Assam State… pic.twitter.com/z2a2BlEoPv
— Jheelum Bhattacharjee (@jheelumsattya) May 31, 2025
"Water started surging and entered our rooms at around 8 pm and we packed luggage and put it above the almirah. There was no provision to cook food either as the kitchen was also inundated," said Hemanta Kalita, a resident of Bonda in Guwahati.
A senior district administration official revealed that "366 hilly locations are landslide prone in Guwahati but most of these people continue to reside risking their lives." The city, along with Tezpur, recorded its highest-ever rainfall for the month of May, with Guwahati receiving 111 mm and Tezpur 174 mm in the last 24 hours. In Rukminigaon, residents expressed their frustration. Basanti Rai, a local housewife, stated, "Neither was there any effort to flush out flood water, not was preparedness in place to improve drainage around the nearby areas. Situation in Rukminigaon is going from from bad to worse in last few years." As a result, government offices and educational institutions in Guwahati remained shut.
In Arunachal Pradesh, seven people from two families died after their vehicle was swept off a road by a landslide on the Bana-Seppa stretch of National Highway 13 in East Kameng district. They were travelling to Seppa when the incident occurred. In Lower Subansiri district, two labourers died after a landslide struck a cabbage farm near Pine Grove. Chief Minister Pema Khandu announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹4 lakh each to the families of the deceased, in accordance with government norms.
In Meghalaya, seven people—including three children—died within the last 24 hours due to landslides, drowning, and lightning. Cherrapunji and Mawsynram, among the world’s wettest places, received a staggering 47 cm of rainfall in a single day.
Nagaland too was hit by deadly landslips. On National Highway-29 in Chümoukedima district, a person was killed when a rock struck a dumper on Friday.
This is the development of Double engine Govt of BJP in Guwahati City . Today is every possibility of repeating Devastating flood like situations in last 5 th August 2024 . The election promises made in last Assembly election flood free Guwahati/Assam by BJP where it is ? L pic.twitter.com/l9sYtn7c74
— Romen Chandra Borthakur (@RomenBorthakurr) May 30, 2025
In Mizoram, six people died in the past day, including three Myanmarese nationals who were killed when a hotel collapsed due to a landslide. Entire villages, especially Sairang near Aizawl, were submerged under floodwaters as the Tlawng river overflowed, forcing many to evacuate to higher grounds. In Lunglei district’s Tlabung town, bordering Bangladesh, local leaders have begun shifting families residing along the Karnaphuli riverbanks.
Meanwhile, Manipur also reported alarming conditions. The Iril and Nambul rivers crossed danger levels by Saturday morning. A viral video circulating on social media showed locals trying to rescue two children from rising floodwaters. Kangpokpi, the catchment area of the Imphal river, received 175 mm of rain in 72 hours, leading to breaches at multiple locations as the river overflowed.
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