Continuous heavy rainfall battered large parts of Assam on Friday, including the capital city, Guwahati, where widespread waterlogging severely disrupted daily life.
Addressing the media at a press conference held at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Guwahati, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma acknowledged the gravity of the situation. “Conditions are unlikely to improve tomorrow. The state government is closely monitoring developments. Due to intense rainfall in Assam as well as neighbouring states like Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh, several areas have been severely impacted,” the Chief Minister said.
He further announced that in light of the worsening weather, all state government employees in Kamrup and Kamrup (Metro) districts would be granted a special casual leave on Saturday. Additionally, schools and colleges in these areas will remain closed, and private organisations have been advised to take necessary precautions.
Guwahati saw heavy downpours throughout the day, leading to serious waterlogging in several localities including Rukminigaon, Beltola Survey, Hatigaon, Geetanagar, Anil Nagar, Lakhimi Nagar, Jatia, Maligaon, and Panjabari.
During the press conference, CM Sarma also revealed that the Meghalaya Chief Minister has been invited for a meeting on June 2 to discuss unchecked hill cutting, a major contributor to the recurring floods and landslides, especially in Guwahati.
The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Guwahati has issued a red alert for May 31, covering the districts of Chirang, Baksa, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Bajali, Tamulpur, and Darrang.
Meanwhile, three incidents of landslides have been reported in Guwahati. Fortunately, no injuries or casualties have been reported so far.
Meteorological experts have identified a well-marked low-pressure system over the Northwest Bay of Bengal near the Odisha coast, which is expected to move north and intensify into a depression over the North Bay of Bengal. This system is likely to bring more heavy rain, thunderstorms, and strong winds to several districts in Assam in the coming days.
The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has cautioned residents of Guwahati about the likelihood of continued rainfall causing further waterlogging, traffic congestion, uprooted trees, and localised landslides.
