30 people die in landslides, flash floods in northeast India

At least 30 people have died in the northeast region of India in the last two days following landslides and flash floods.

The incidents occurred in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur and Mizoram, NDTV reports. As many as 60,000 people have been impacted in 12 districts of Assam.

Nine people, including seven members of two families, were killed in flash floods and landslides in Arunachal Pradesh. A landslide swept a Brezza car into a deep gorge along the NH-13 stretch between Bana and Seppa in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday night, killing seven, the broadcaster said.

A total of five people died in landslides following heavy rain that led to floods in six districts of Assam. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said all five deaths were reported from the Kamrup Metropolitan district.

Continuous rain leading to severe flooding and landslides disrupted transportation as well. The National Highway 17 (NH-17), a link between Meghalaya and Assam, suffered damage due to floods. Key stretches of NH-17 were washed away in Boko and Chaygaon, cutting off road connectivity between Tura and Guwahati.

One of the worst-affected zones was the Shingra Reserve Forest area near Boko, around 70km from Guwahati, where a newly constructed portion of NH-17 collapsed under the force of floodwaters. The damage left scores of trucks and heavy vehicles stranded, while smaller vehicles were forced to detour through Bongaigaon.

The weather office has issued a red and orange alert for parts of Assam and an orange and yellow alert for the rest of the northeast.