Amit Shah begins two-day Assam visit as Guwahati battles flood and waterlogging crisis

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 28, 2025

Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Guwahati on Thursday evening for a two-day visit to Assam, even as large parts of the city struggled with severe waterlogging and urban flooding triggered by incessant rainfall.

Shah was received at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, along with senior state government officials and top police officers. From the airport, he drove straight to the BJP’s state headquarters at Basistha to attend a core committee meeting of the party, convened to finalise strategies ahead of the upcoming Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections. The meeting was still underway when this report was filed.

His arrival coincided with worsening flood conditions in Guwahati. Several low-lying areas, including Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagar, Hatigaon, and stretches of RG Baruah Road, were submerged under waist-deep water. Residents in affected neighbourhoods reported being forced to relocate to safer places, while vehicular traffic crawled across the city due to submerged roads.

According to Shah’s official itinerary, he will inaugurate the new annexe building of Raj Bhawan at 11:30 am on Friday. Later, between 2:00 pm and 2:30 pm, he will attend a programme at the Veterinary Field to interact with Gaon Panchayat presidents and other Panchayat representatives. In the evening, from 3:55 pm to 4:55 pm, he will take part in an event at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra to mark the birth centenary of former Assam Chief Minister Golap Borbora.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of more heavy to very heavy rainfall in Guwahati and adjoining areas over the next 24 hours. The forecast includes thunderstorms and lightning, with rainfall intensity of up to 6 cm in 24 hours, and localised intense spells of 2–3 cm per hour. Officials cautioned that the fresh downpour could aggravate the city’s waterlogging crisis, slow down traffic further, and trigger localised landslides in vulnerable hillside areas.

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has urged residents to remain vigilant, especially those living in low-lying and landslide-prone areas. Commuters and long-distance travellers have been advised to plan their journeys carefully and avoid unnecessary movement during heavy rainfall. The public has also been requested to monitor official updates and follow safety advisories.

IMD officials explained that the current spell of rainfall is linked to multiple weather systems, including a monsoon trough passing through central India, an upper-air cyclonic circulation over northeast Assam, and a weakening low-pressure area over Chhattisgarh and adjoining Odisha.

Despite the weather crisis, city authorities said rescue and emergency response teams are on high alert, with the administration working to mitigate the impact of flooding during Shah’s high-profile visit.