GUWAHATI: The Assam government has issued a high alert across several districts following reports of heavy rainfall and flash floods in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, which are expected to trigger a rise in river water levels downstream over the next one to two days.
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According to an official statement issued on Tuesday, June 24, extremely heavy rainfall in Arunachal Pradesh's Lower Subansiri district has led to flash floods and a significant increase in river discharge, raising concerns for several districts in Assam.
Data from the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Guwahati, and the Meteorological Centre, Itanagar, showed that Yazali in Lower Subansiri received around 72.8 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours. A large portion of the rainfall occurred between 6 AM and 9 AM on June 24, causing flash floods in the upper catchment areas.
Flash floods were reported in the Panyor Lower Hydroelectric Project area, formerly known as the Ranganadi Hydroelectric Project. Due to the sudden increase in inflow, one spillway gate was opened to release excess water. The floods, accompanied by debris flow, reportedly damaged houses and infrastructure in parts of the district.
The Assam government warned that the resulting flood wave is expected to affect Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath and Sonitpur districts first before moving further downstream through other parts of the state, eventually reaching Dhubri.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has directed officials to remain on maximum alert and ensure all preparedness measures are in place. The Chief Secretary has also instructed district administrations and line departments in potentially affected areas to maintain close vigilance and take preventive measures.
The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other emergency response agencies have been kept on standby for deployment if required.
Residents living in low-lying and flood-prone areas have been advised to remain alert and move to safer locations if instructed by local authorities. The government has also urged people to avoid entering flooded areas and refrain from travelling in country boats or small vessels as river currents are expected to become stronger.
The statement also said that the state government is maintaining constant coordination with relevant agencies and district administrations and will continue to issue updates as the situation develops.