Heavy Rain Batters Assam, Halts Trains and Road Transport; 8 Dead in Floods and Landslides

Guwahati/Rangia: Heavy rain continues to batter Assam, disrupting road and rail services across the state. So far, eight people have lost their lives due to floods and landslides, officials confirmed on Sunday.
Over 78,000 people across more than 15 districts have been affected by the ongoing rainfall and flooding. The Central Water Commission (CWC) has issued an ‘orange bulletin’ for the state, warning of severe flood conditions. Ten major rivers, including the Brahmaputra and Barak, are flowing above the danger mark.
The Northeast Frontier Railway reported that due to water overflowing the tracks in the Baraigram-Dullabcherra section, the Dullabcherra–Silchar passenger train has been cancelled for the day. The Dullabcherra–Guwahati Express will now originate from Baraigram instead of Dullabcherra.
National Highway-17 remains flooded near Shingra Shalnibari in Kamrup district’s Chaygaon area, cutting off key routes. Authorities say heavy rain, combined with runoff from neighbouring Meghalaya, has worsened the situation. Measures are being taken to manage traffic through alternate routes.
The CWC bulletin reported dangerously high water levels at several locations. The Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger mark in Dibrugarh and Nematighat (Jorhat). Other rivers that have breached the danger mark include the Dhaleswari at Gharmura (Hailakandi), Rukni at Dholai (Cachar), Katakhal at Matijuri (Hailakandi), Barak at Badarpur Ghat (Sribhumi), Buridehing at Margherita (Tinsukia), Kushiyara in Sribhumi, Dhansiri at Numaligarh (Golaghat), and Kopili at Kampur (Nagaon).
According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), five people have died in landslides and three in floods so far. Three districts in western Assam were placed under a ‘red alert’ on Saturday, and eight others are under an ‘orange alert’, as per Regional Meteorological Centre data. Inflows from upstream areas of Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya have further worsened the situation.
Relief and rescue operations are ongoing, with personnel from the NDRF, SDRF, police, and fire services deployed in the affected areas. People are being evacuated to safety from flood-hit zones.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated on Friday that the state is facing an “abnormal situation” due to relentless downpour and persistent cloud cover over several parts of the Northeast.