Three killed in Guwahati landslides as rains claim 5 in Kamrup Metro
As a preventive measure, govt shuts schools, cuts power across the city
A still from the landslide-hit area in Jorabat, Guwahati. (AT Photo)
Guwahati, May 31: A total of five people lost their lives in landslides in Kamrup Metro as heavy rain lashed several districts of Assam, officials said on Saturday.
According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), one of the incidents occurred in Guwahati’s Bonda area on Friday evening, where three people are feared dead.
"We are yet to confirm the identities of the deceased. A statement will be issued later in the day," an ASDMA official told The Assam Tribune.
According to a statement issued by the ASDMA on Saturday, floods have affected three districts and five revenue circles — Kamrup, Kamrup Metro, and Cachar — in the past 24 hours. Two relief camps have been set up, sheltering 10 people as of Saturday morning.
In response to the worsening weather conditions, the Assam government has taken several precautionary measures. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the closure of all schools in Guwahati on Saturday and declared special casual leave for government employees.
"Only those residing in quarters near their offices have been asked to attend work today. I have also requested private establishments to reduce their workforce for the day. While we haven’t issued a formal directive, we have urged companies to allow leave for employees who travel from distant areas," the Chief Minister said during a press briefing on Friday evening.
To prevent mishaps, the government has also switched off around 100 power transformers across Guwahati since Friday.
"According to forecasts, the depression over the northwest Bay of Bengal, off the West Bengal–Bangladesh coasts, is likely to persist until Saturday evening. We are closely monitoring the situation," the Chief Minister added.
Meanwhile, a red alert was sounded in 18 districts across the state on Friday as the region faces what officials have described as an "abnormal situation" caused by a dense cloud cover and continuous rainfall over several parts of the Northeast.
In a statement, the ASDMA said the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over the next two to three days, particularly in western and southern Assam.
With inputs from PTI