Monsoon rain, floods kill at least 22 in India's northeast

Landslides and flash flooding triggered by days of torrential monsoon rains in India’s northeast have killed at least 22 people, officials said on Saturday.

Five people, including three from a single family, were killed on Saturday when their homes were buried in a mudslide in Assam state's Guwahati city, an official flood bulletin said.

In neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh state, which borders China, seven people were killed on Friday when their vehicle was swept away by floodwaters. Two others drowned in a separate incident in the state.

Eight people were killed in the states of Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya in the last 24 hours due to floods and mudslides brought on by the rains, according to official figures.

Meanwhile in Assam, authorities disconnected the electricity in several areas to reduce the risk of electrocution, state Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Heavy rains also led to flooding in many urban areas of Assam’s capital city of Guwahati, leading to long power outages Friday night and prompting authorities to shut schools and colleges on Saturday.

India’s weather agency has forecast more heavy rains in the region in the coming days.

India’s annual June-September monsoon season offers respite from intense summer heat. But the rains that are crucial for crops planted during the season often cause extensive damage, particularly in the northeast, which is considered one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change.

Scientists say monsoons are becoming more erratic because of extreme weather and global warming, leading to frequent landslides and flash floods in India’s Himalayan north.
Associated Press