Torrential monsoon rains have unleashed devastation across India’s northeastern state of Assam, claiming the lives of at least five people, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority. The intense downpours, which have continued for three consecutive days, triggered severe floods and landslides, displacing hundreds and overwhelming critical infrastructure.
The annual monsoon season, stretching from June to September, is a vital lifeline for India’s agriculture and water reserves. However, it is also a period marked by deadly consequences, as swollen rivers and collapsing terrain result in fatalities and widespread destruction. This year’s floods, among the first major incidents of the 2025 monsoon season, are a stark reminder of the season’s dual nature—both life-sustaining and deadly.
In Assam, rivers like the Brahmaputra and its tributaries have overflowed, breaching embankments and inundating low-lying areas. Urban flooding has severely affected Guwahati, the state capital, where authorities have cut electricity in several districts to prevent electrocution. Families have been forced to abandon their homes in search of safer ground, with hundreds taking refuge in temporary shelters.
A red alert remains in place for 12 districts of Assam, indicating a high risk of further flooding and landslides. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that emergency rescue operations are ongoing and that the government has been closely monitoring the situation. “We have been reviewing the impending situation for the last three days,” he said, adding that food relief, particularly rice supplies, has been sent to affected areas.
The frequency and intensity of such extreme weather events have been rising, with climate scientists attributing this to global warming. Though the monsoon is a naturally complex climate phenomenon, climate change is believed to be making rainfall patterns more erratic and extreme.
Meanwhile, in western India, the monsoon rains made an unusually early arrival in Mumbai, India’s financial capital. The city experienced heavy downpours on Monday, marking the earliest onset of monsoon rains in nearly 25 years.
As the monsoon progresses, millions remain vulnerable across the subcontinent. Experts warn that without urgent infrastructure adaptation and sustainable planning, the toll from such natural disasters may only worsen in the years to come.
