Flood alert for Assam, heavy rain likely in Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh

Parts of Assam and neighbouring Meghalaya have been receiving extremely heavy rains since May 20 after super cyclone Amphan weakened.

The Central Water Commission (CWC) has issued a severe flood situation alert for the Brahmaputra river in Assam’s Neamati Ghat and Jiabharali in Jorhat and Sonitpur districts, respectively. Parts of Assam and neighbouring Meghalaya have been receiving extremely heavy rains since May 20 after super cyclone Amphan weakened.

Villagers use a country boat to shift from a flooded locality following heavy rainfall at Bolbola in Goalapra district of Assam, Monday, May 25, 2020. (PTI photo)

The highest flood level for the Brahmaputra in the Jorhat stretch is 87.37 metres and the current level is 85.78 metre. In Jiabharali, the highest flood level is 78.5 metres and the current level is 77.36 metres.

Beki in Barpeta; Lohit in Tinsukia and the Dibrugarh stretch of the Brahmaputra and many of its tributaries have also recorded above-normal flood levels.

“The district-level rainfall data is being compiled, but parts of Meghalaya, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have received extremely heavy rains in the past five days, which is likely to continue for another three days at least. Southwesterly moisture-laden winds are converging from the Bay of Bengal in the region. The rains aren’t likely to recede immediately,” said K Sathi Devi, head, National Weather Forecasting Centre.

“Cherrapunji has received 1,105 millimetres of rain in the last four days. We’re still compiling the data, which is a departure from normal. There’ll be more flooding in the region, as rains are not likely to stop for the next few days. But the intensity of rainfall may reduce after two-three days. Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura will also experience heavy rains soon,” said Mahesh Palawat, vice-president, meteorology and climate, Skymet Weather.