Widespread floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfall have battered several northeastern states of India, leaving at least 36 people dead and more than 550,000 affected, according to official reports released Monday.
Assam remains the worst-affected, accounting for 11 deaths and over 5.35 lakh people impacted across 22 districts.
The states of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, and Tripura have also suffered heavily due to the monsoon deluge, while Manipur continues to battle severe flooding and displacement.
Torrential rains over the past few days have led to the overflowing of major rivers, embankment breaches, road collapses, and the disruption of essential services across the region.
In Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited the flood-hit Lakhimpur district and assured full support to residents.
Authorities reported that 15 rivers, including the Brahmaputra and its tributaries, are flowing above the danger level. The state’s transport services — road, rail, and ferry — have been severely impacted.
Sarma also met Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma in Guwahati on Monday evening to discuss regional flood control strategies.
The leaders agreed to assign a hydrological study to the North Eastern Space Application Centre (NESAC), which will conduct satellite mapping to assess waterlogging, forest cover, and rainfall patterns contributing to urban flooding in Guwahati. The study’s findings are expected within three months.
Meanwhile, political tensions surfaced as Union Minister and BJP president J.P. Nadda urged party units to assist with relief efforts, while Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticised the central government, questioning the lack of transparency around the PM CARES Fund.
In Sikkim, three army personnel were killed and six others remained missing after a landslide hit a military post in Chhaten, near Lachen in Mangan district. A defence official confirmed the deceased as Havaldar Lakhwinder Singh, Lance Naik Munish Thakur, and civilian porter Abhishek Lakhada.
Search and rescue operations by the Indian Army and Border Roads Organisation (BRO) are ongoing under treacherous weather conditions.
Rain-triggered landslides have devastated road networks in Mangan district, cutting off tourist hotspots such as Lachung and Gurudongmar.
Over 1,600 tourists stranded in Lachung and Chungthang have been rescued, according to the state police chief. More than 100 people remain isolated in Lachen due to damaged bridges and impassable roads.
The Teesta River has swollen significantly due to a cloudburst and continuous rainfall, damaging several bridges and roadways.
Authorities have urged travellers to avoid non-essential travel to the state. Sikkim Chief Secretary R. Telang chaired an emergency meeting to fast-track restoration of infrastructure and communication lines.
Manipur has also been severely affected, with nearly 20,000 people displaced after river embankments gave way.
Officials reported that 3,365 houses across 103 localities have been damaged, with 31 relief camps established — mostly in Imphal East district.
Emergency rescue operations by the Manipur Fire Service, Assam Rifles, SDRF, NDRF, and Indian Army were launched to evacuate stranded medical students and staff from Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) in Imphal.
Four breaches along the Imphal River have led to widespread inundation across several low-lying areas.
In Arunachal Pradesh, the death toll rose to 10 following another fatality reported in Lohit district. Landslides and flash floods have impacted 938 people across 156 villages in 23 districts, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre.
Governor Lt. Gen. K.T. Parnaik (Retd) expressed condolences to the affected families and urged residents in vulnerable areas to remain vigilant.
Floodwaters have disrupted life in key districts such as Papum Pare, West Kameng, and Lower Subansiri, with rivers still flowing above danger levels. Relief efforts are ongoing as officials monitor landslide-prone zones.
Tripura, meanwhile, saw a slight improvement in conditions on Monday with rainfall easing and river levels receding.
However, more than 10,000 people remain in 66 government relief camps. Disaster management officials said that 2,926 families — mostly from West Tripura — are still taking shelter as they await clearance to return home.
In Mizoram, five people, including three Myanmarese refugees, have lost their lives in landslides and house collapses since May 24. Over 212 roads have been blocked due to mudslides and waterlogging.
The state government shut all schools on Monday and had also declared holidays on May 29 and 30 as a precautionary measure.
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