IMD issues red alert for Assam & Meghalaya, heavy rainfall expected

Guwahati: The Indian Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for Assam and Meghalaya indicating heavy to extremely heavy rain for the next four days even as floods and landslides wreak havoc in both the states after a week of incessant rainfall.

The IMD warned of light to moderate rainfall at most places with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall and isolated extremely heavy rainfall over Assam-Meghalaya on Wednesday as well as thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places. The department has issued an advisory to the district disaster management agencies to be on alert.

The IMD, however, said that the weather conditions in the states may slightly improve from May 20. The red alert has been sounded mainly for western Assam on Wednesday. Heavy to very heavy rainfall, measuring 7 to 20 cm in 24 hours (8.30 am on Wednesday to 8.30 am on Thursday) is very likely over Dhubri and South Salmara districts, the IMD said.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is also very likely over Goalpara, Chirang, Baksa, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Dima Hasao, Cachar and Karimganj districts where floods and landslides are creating havoc, it added.

Further, the IMD has predicted widespread heavy to very heavy rainfall, accompanied by thunder and lightning over NE states till May 21. Thunderstorms, lightning and heavy to very heavy rainfall with extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places is also very likely over Meghalaya during this period.

Meanwhile, the flood situation in Assam continued to wreak havoc affecting over 4 lakh people in 26 districts. The death toll due to flood and landslide in the state reached 8. Eleven embankments have been breached since Monday, while another six have been affected, besides damages to houses, roads, bridges and other infrastructure.

According to the latest bulletin by Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), the number of affected people has reached 4,03,352 across 26 districts from 1,97,248 in 20 districts. Assam’s Cachar is the worst-hit district with 96,697 affected people followed by 88,420 people affected in Hojai, 58,975 in Nagaon, 56,960 in Darrang, 39,874 in Biswanath and 22,526 in Udalguri district.

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