DISPUR, Assam: Assam’s Guwahati city recorded this year’s highest single-day rainfall—a total of 78.4 mm in 24 hours on Tuesday.
The city was left paralysed till post-midnight due to waterlogging in various areas, leaving people stranded in their vehicles for hours amid traffic congestion.
The Regional Meteorological Centre data mentioned that this was the highest daily rainfall of the season as well as of the year so far.
The Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, chaired an immediate meeting and asked the stakeholders “to work out a comprehensive solution baked in with an early warning and quick response mechanisms.”
In a social media post, the CM further mentioned, “We will also be in touch with the Meghalaya government to implement a real-time coordination protocol.”
He further stated that Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district received record rainfall of nearly 100 mm. “Heavy rainfall in the hills, along with rains of more than 60 mm in Guwahati, resulted in extraordinary flash floods in parts of the city,” he mentioned.
Ashok Singhal, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Assam, stated that an urgent meeting has been called to discuss the flood situation in the city. He further stated that a report has been sought from the District Commissioner of Kamrup Metropolitan, who is also in-charge of mission flood-free Guwahati.
He added, “We have asked the DC to submit a comprehensive report, and it will be taken up for discussion immediately. Only after that, we can comment on what caused the situation.”