00:00The Northeast of India is reeling under one of the worst flood crisis in recent years.
00:16Relentless monsoon rains have triggered widespread flooding and deadly landslides,
00:22leaving devastation across Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Misuram and other states.
00:28Over 30 people have lost their lives, and thousands have been forced to flee their homes.
00:38The early onset of the southwest monsoon in 2025, combined with torrential rainfall,
00:45has resulted in rivers like the Bramputra and Barak overflowing their banks,
00:50inundating vast areas and displacing over half a million people.
00:53The region's hilly terrain means that rainwater rapidly runs off the slopes,
00:59often leading to sudden flash floods and landslides that can overwhelm communities with little warning.
01:05The Hindu-Kush Himalayan region has the largest concentration of frozen water on Earth,
01:11after the North Pole and South Pole.
01:13Hence, it is referred to as the Third Pole.
01:17Due to their vast reserves of fresh water in glaciers and snow,
01:21the Third Pole feeds major rivers in the region.
01:24Former IIT Roorkee Professor Nayan Sharma told an Indian-English daily Assam Tribune,
01:30that this Third Pole is warming faster and the snow cover is melting.
01:36This unique geography makes the northeast particularly vulnerable.
01:40Climate scientist Rahul Mehinta told a magazine, Down to Earth,
01:44that they have noticed some serious storm formations over the region,
01:48and there was warm air in the lower level of atmosphere,
01:52and cool air in the upper levels.
01:53He said that these storms release a huge amount of latent heat in the upper atmosphere,
01:59and climate change is shifting the southwest monsoon to May in northeast India.
02:05The combination of early monsoon onset, increased storm frequency,
02:09and warming trends is intensifying the severity of floods each year.
02:14Human activities are further exacerbating the crisis.
02:18Deforestation, unplanned urbanization, and the sudden release of dam waters
02:22reduce the land's ability to absorb rainfall, increasing run-off, and the risk of floods.
02:29Assam Chief Minister Hemanta Biswasarma has recently accused neighbouring Meghalaya
02:34of unchecked hill-cutting activities,
02:37warning that such practices could turn Guwahati into an ocean.
02:41The Assam government has escalated the matter to the Supreme Court's Central Empowered Committee,
02:47demanding an investigation into the environmental impact of these activities.
02:51The situation is further complicated by geopolitical developments.
02:56Beijing has already announced plans for a $137 billion hydropower mega-project
03:02in Tibet's Midoc County, near the geologically fragile and seismic-prone Great Bend of the Brahmaputra.
03:09This dam, which will be the world's largest, will be located just 30 km from India's border.
03:16Experts warn that if the dam were to fail, whether due to seismic activity or structural flaws,
03:22the resulting deluge could devastate Arunachal Pradesh and Assam,
03:26amplifying the already severe flooding in India's northeastern states.
03:31The floods in northeast India are a result of a series of reasons,
03:37including natural geography, climate change and human interventions.
03:42The regions' steep hills, dense river networks and heavy monsoon rains
03:46make it inherently flood-prone,
03:49while deforestation, land-use changes and erratic weather patterns,
03:54driven by global warming, are making the situation increasingly dire each year.
04:01In Assam, over 5.15 lakh people across 22 districts are reeling under floodwaters,
04:10with rivers like the Brahmaputra and Barak flowing well above danger marks.
04:14The death toll in Assam alone has reached 12,
04:18with people dying in floods and in landslides.
04:21Districts such as Lakhimpur and Sribhumi are among the worst hit.
04:26More than 1.85 lakh people have been forced to take shelter in relief camps.
04:31While thousands of hectares of cropland are submerged.
04:48The Central Water Commission earlier issued an orange bulletin,
04:52and the Regional Meteorological Centre has placed several districts under red and orange alerts,
04:59warning of more heavy rainfall.
05:01Assam's Chief Minister, Himinta Biswasarma, has assured that all possible measures are being taken,
05:07with support from the central government and agencies like the SDRF and Indian Air Force.
05:12In Arunachal Pradesh, relentless rains have triggered deadly landslides and flash floods,
05:18leaving at least nine people dead.
05:21The release of water from the Ranganadi Dam worsened the situation in border villages, displacing hundreds.
05:27Chief Minister Pema Kandu has announced 4 lakh rupees exgratia for families of the deceased
05:32and is overseeing relief operations in the worst-hit districts.
05:37Meghalia and Mizoram have each reported six deaths due to floods and landslides.
05:43In Meghalia, urban flooding in Shillong and landslides in the hilly regions have disrupted life,
05:49with schools and government offices forced to close.
05:52Relief camps have been set up for displaced families,
05:55and emergency teams are working round the clock to restore connectivity and provide essentials.
06:01In Mizoram, swollen rivers have inundated several low-lying areas,
06:06and authorities are monitoring vulnerable zones as more rain is forecast.
06:11Manipur is battling floods in at least 174 villages,
06:15affecting over 56,000 people and damaging more than 10,000 houses.
06:20The army and NDRF have rescued over 1,000 residents, and 57 relief camps are operational.
06:26In Tripura, two people have died and several areas remain waterlogged.
06:31Sikkim and Nagaland have also reported casualties and significant crop damage,
06:37with the IMD issuing orange and yellow alerts across these states.
06:46Union Home Minister Amit Shah has spoken to the chief ministers of all affected states,
06:52assuring full central assistance for rescue and relief.
06:55Emergency funds have also been released and additional NDRF teams are on standby.
07:01The Indian Meteorological Department continues to warn of heavy to very heavy rainfall in several districts,
07:08urging residents to stay alert and avoid risky areas.
07:13Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also assured support and assistance to northeastern states,
07:19grappling with severe floods and landslides.
07:21He personally spoke to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Bispa Sarma,
07:26Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang and Manipur Governor Ajay Bhalla to take stock of the situation.
07:32The coming weeks will be critical as the region braces for more rain
07:36and the focus shifts to rebuilding lives and restoring hope amid the devastation.
07:42Of the
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