Heavy rain inundates Guwahati, normal life affected

Guwahati: A spell of heavy rain overnight inundated several roads and residential areas in Assam’s Guwahati, disrupting vehicular movement and causing inconvenience to residents of the city on Tuesday.

People were seen wading through knee-deep waters in some areas of the city while the water level reached up to the chest in several localities.

Inundation was reported from Zoo Road, Nabin Nagar, Hatigaon, Ganeshguri, Gita Nagar, Maligaon, Hedayetpur, Guwahati Club, Ulubari, Lachit Nagar, Chandmari and Panjabari.

The overnight downpour also led to waterlogging in GS Road Jorabat, Tarun Nagar, Jatia, Jyotikuchi, Ghoramara, VIP Road, Rukmini Gaon, Survey and Chatribari, among others.

Many schools, where internal examinations are going on, have announced closure in the morning due to "flooded" campus and roads across the city, as most of the school buses have stopped their services.

A number of vehicles were stuck on the waterlogged roads in several places while ambulances with patients on board became immobile.

As the day progressed, traffic jams were reported from almost all localities in the city with vehicles stranded due to waterlogging on roads.

Rainwater accumulated in hundreds of houses in the ‘smart’ city, and there were reports of power cuts in many areas.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted inclement weather over Assam for the next 2–3 days, with heavy to very heavy rainfall expected across various parts of the state.

"As per rainfall data recorded on May 20, 2025, several locations in and around Guwahati have already received substantial precipitation, including 112.5 mm at the Guwahati AWS station," an official release said.

The weather pattern suggests that both western and southern parts of Assam are likely to witness more intense rainfall episodes over the coming days, potentially reaching up to 200 mm in isolated locations.

"In Guwahati city, continued downpours could aggravate water logging, slow vehicular movement, and increase the risk of tree falls and localised landslides in vulnerable pockets," it added.

The civic body authorities are closely monitoring the situation, and emergency response systems are being kept on alert, the statement said.

"The public is advised to take all necessary precautions and remain vigilant. Daily commuters and long-distance travellers are requested to plan their routines accordingly, avoiding unnecessary movement during periods of intense rainfall," it added.

The government also advised the residents in low-lying and hillside areas to stay alert for any signs of flooding or soil erosion.

"The public is also urged to stay tuned to official weather updates and follow advisories issued by local authorities to ensure safety during this prolonged spell of rain," it said.

Earlier in the morning, Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah visited some flooded areas by riding a two-wheeler.

"Guwahati witnessed a heavy spell of rain last night, and it is predicted to continue today also. We have witnessed added problems in the city due to rainwater coming down from the adjoining Meghalaya hills. We have some sluice gates, but these are not adequate to control such a huge flow of water," he told reporters.

The government is trying to pump out flood waters from residential areas, but it is not very effective as of now, Baruah said.

He also reiterated Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's stand that Meghalaya-based University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) carried out a "flood jihad", resulting in massive inundation in the state capital.

In August last year, Sarma had claimed that the varsity was "cutting" the hills inside its campus to construct new buildings to open a medical college.

The USTM is promoted by Mahbubul Hoque, the owner and chancellor of the varsity, and is located at 9th Mile in Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya on the outskirts of Guwahati.

The Gauhati High Court, in August last year, had said that the time had come to deal with the problem of flooding in the state capital, and the government was required to take steps to resolve this problem permanently, asking to submit a plan to mitigate the crisis.

Stating that the Assam government was "not serious" in solving perennial waterlogging problems in the state capital, the Gauhati High Court had come down heavily for not responding to its repeated notices and slapped a fine of Rs 1,000 each to four departments concerned.