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Severe flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy monsoon rainfall in India's northeast over the past two days have resulted in at least 30 fatalities, according to officials on Sunday.
State disaster management authorities reported that eight fatalities occurred in Assam, nine in Arunachal Pradesh many due to landslides caused by destabilized earth. Additionally, five individuals were killed in Mizoram from a landslide, while six perished in Meghalaya, with at least two others losing their lives in Nagaland and Tripura.
Following continuous heavy rain over the past three days, a red alert was issued for various districts in the area.
Rivers, including the mighty Brahmaputra that originates in the Himalayas and flows towards Bangladesh, have overflowed their banks throughout the region.
The Indian army announced they had rescued hundreds during a large-scale operation in Manipur state, stating, "People have been moved to safer locations" and that they provided "food, water, and essential medicines."
The chief minister of Meghalaya, Conrad K Sangma, instructed officials to stay vigilant, particularly in areas susceptible to landslides and flooding. Each year, numerous lives are lost during the monsoon season in India, which has a population of 1.4 billion.
The annual monsoon season, spanning from June to September, helps alleviate the intense summer heat and is vital for replenishing water resources, yet it also leads to significant loss of life and property.
In recent years, South Asia has been facing rising temperatures and altered weather patterns, although scientists are uncertain about the specific impacts of global warming on monsoon conditions.
Last month, Mumbai, India's financial hub, experienced unprecedented monsoon rains that arrived two weeks earlier than usual, marking the earliest onset in nearly 25 years, as noted by weather analysts.
