BHUBANESWAR/DHAKA – At least 34 people have died in India’s north-eastern region following heavy floods and landslides over the past four days, officials and media reported on June 2, with weather forecasts warning of continued heavy rainfall. In Sikkim, more than a thousand tourists stranded due to severe weather were being evacuated, according to a government statement. Meanwhile, army teams in Meghalaya state have been mobilised to rescue over 500 people trapped in inundated areas.
Across the border in Bangladesh, four members of a single family lost their lives in a landslide in Sylhet district, prompting the government to open hundreds of emergency shelters in the vulnerable hilly districts of Rangamati, Bandarban, and Khagrachhari. Authorities have issued urgent warnings about potential further landslides and flash floods, advising residents in high-risk zones to remain vigilant.
The region, encompassing north-east India and Bangladesh, is highly susceptible to intense monsoon rains that routinely trigger devastating landslides and flooding, displacing millions and causing widespread damage. In Assam’s Silchar city, visuals shared by news agency ANI showed waterlogged streets, submerged homes, and roads strewn with uprooted trees. Local resident Sonu Devi expressed desperation, saying, “We are facing a lot of challenges. I have a child, their bed is submerged in water. What will we do in such a situation? We keep ourselves awake throughout the night.”
With more rain on the horizon, emergency teams remain on high alert as relief and rescue operations continue across affected areas.