At least 30 people have lost their lives following relentless monsoon rains that triggered flash floods and landslides across India’s northeastern states, officials said on Sunday.
Authorities in Assam confirmed the deaths of eight people, while neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh reported nine fatalities, mostly due to landslides caused by waterlogged and unstable slopes. In Mizoram, five people died in a similar incident, state disaster management officials told reporters.
Four more deaths were reported from Meghalaya (six), Nagaland (one), and Tripura (one), as continuous downpours lashed the region over the last three days. A red alert has been issued across several districts, warning of further landslides and rising water levels.
“The incessant rainfall has softened the earth, and many hillside areas have collapsed, burying homes and blocking roads,” a senior official from Assam’s disaster management department said.
Swollen rivers, including the Brahmaputra — one of South Asia’s major waterways — have breached their banks, inundating villages and low-lying areas. Originating in the Himalayas, the Brahmaputra courses through northeastern India before flowing into Bangladesh.
Visuals from local media showed submerged roads, collapsed homes, and people wading through waist-deep water as emergency teams rushed to provide assistance.
In Manipur, the Indian Army said it had rescued hundreds of people from flood-hit areas during a “massive rescue operation.” Troops were deployed in coordination with local authorities to reach stranded residents in remote and inaccessible regions.
Relief efforts continue, with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and state agencies deployed across the worst-hit areas. Temporary shelters have been set up, and food supplies and medical aid are being distributed.
Monsoon rains, which last from June to September, are critical for India’s agriculture-based economy but frequently lead to devastating floods and landslides, particularly in hilly and ecologically fragile northeastern states.
Meteorological officials have predicted more heavy rainfall in the coming days, further raising concerns over worsening conditions.
