Guwahati reels under first wave of monsoon fury: streets submerged, boats deployed, more rain ahead

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 29, 2025

The monsoon made a disruptive entry into Guwahati on Thursday, unleashing a bout of heavy morning rain that left large parts of the city underwater. From Rukminigaon to Anil Nagar, Hatigaon to Maligaon, normal life came to a standstill as severe waterlogging paralyzed road networks, shut down schools, and forced emergency deployments.

Though the rain subsided by noon, many localities remained submerged well into the afternoon, exposing critical drainage gaps in the city’s infrastructure. This, despite recent investments in deep drain construction in several areas in anticipation of the monsoon season.

Among the most affected areas were Rukminigaon, Nabin Nagar, Anil Nagar, Juripar, Basisthapur-Survey, Chandmari, and Beltola, where residents waded through knee-deep water. In Rukminigaon, conditions were so dire that the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) had to deploy rubber boats to ferry residents to safety and provide access to interior lanes that had turned into canals.

“Getting out of the house became impossible. There’s no proper drainage and the water just kept rising,” said a resident of Rukminigaon.

Several schools across the city declared emergency closures on Thursday morning, citing flooded campuses and immobilized transportation.

“My daughter was ready for her assessment today, but the school called saying their buses couldn’t leave the compound. The exam’s been postponed,” said a frustrated parent from Kahilipara.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over the next 48 to 72 hours, warning of thunderstorms, gusty winds, and lightning in vulnerable pockets of Assam, including Guwahati. A weather warning is in effect till May 31, with further downpours expected to exacerbate the already critical situation.

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel during periods of heavy rainfall, follow official alerts and advisories and prepare for potential tree falls, traffic gridlocks, and localized landslides.

Emergency services have been placed on high alert, with round-the-clock monitoring by the city administration.

Assam isn’t alone in facing the brunt of the season. Other Northeastern states, along with Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Odisha, Telangana, and West Bengal, are also bracing for heavy rainfall.

With Guwahati’s first major downpour of the season already exposing civic fault lines, the next few days are critical as authorities rush to prevent further urban flooding, infrastructural damage, and disruption to daily life.