Guwahati:
The first day of June brought a deluge in Assam. Silchar, the second largest city of Assam, received a staggering 415.8 mm rainfall in 24 hours, the highest in a day since 1893. Rainfall in Silchar on June 1 broke the 132-year-old record of 290.3 mm rainfall in a day.
A combination of upper-air cyclonic circulations and low-level troughs is fuelling the unstable weather pattern, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). A particularly intense zone of activity stretches from central Assam to Arunachal Pradesh, linked to a trough extending from East Uttar Pradesh.
In 2022, Silchar experienced one of its worst floods due to a breach of a dyke on the Barak River at Bethkundi. Silchar, located a kilometre from the dyke was the worst affected, with 90 percent of the town underwater.
Rain Fury In Northeast
At least 34 people have died in floods and landslides in the northeastern states — Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and others — over the last three days.
Mizoram received 1,102 per cent above normal rainfall on May 31.
Heavy rainfall has been recorded across Meghalaya over the past five days, from May 28 to June 1. Several districts have experienced significant precipitation, with Sohra, also known as Cherrapunjee, and Mawsynram receiving cumulative totals of 796 mm and 774.5 mm, respectively.
Other areas, including Khliehriat, Ramakrishna Mission (RKM) Sohra, and Pynursla, have also seen substantial rainfall, surpassing 500 mm in cumulative totals.
The highest single-day downpour was recorded in RKM Sohra on May 30, with 378.4 mm of rain, contributing to its total of 993.6 mm over five days. Similarly, Mawsynram and Pynursla saw their peak rainfall on May 30, accumulating over 250 mm in a single day.
In Meghalaya, 10 districts have been affected by flash floods and landslides. More than 10,000 people have been affected by flash floods in Tripura.
Over 19,000 people have been affected and 3,365 houses have been damaged by floods in Manipur caused by overflowing rivers and breaches in embankments.
