A massive storm in lower Assam has left at least 12 people injured, coinciding with an India Meteorological Department (IMD) warning of heavy rainfall for Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Meghalaya ahead of an early onset of the southwest monsoon. The IMD reported that thunderstorms accompanied by squally and gusty winds reaching speeds of 50-80 kmph lashed several parts of Assam in the past 24 hours.
Damage in Dhubri and Kokrajhar Districts
In Chapar and neighboring areas of Dhubri district, the storm since Sunday night caused widespread damage to houses and property. Bilasipara MLA Jibesh Roy, who visited a local hospital in Chapar to check on the injured and offered preliminary financial assistance, stated, “Around 12 to 15 people were injured in the storm. Those seriously wounded have been hospitalized in Bongaigaon.”
At Chapar, an uprooted tree fell on a passenger bus traveling along NH-17 on Sunday night, but passengers escaped unhurt. The incident led to a massive traffic jam. In neighboring Kokrajhar district, electricity supply was severely disrupted as numerous trees fell on power lines. Many kutcha houses were damaged, and large trees were uprooted in residential areas.
Severe Impact in Kokrajhar
Officials said about 40 villages in Kokrajhar district were severely affected, particularly in Kokrajhar town and Dotma circle. State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), fire and emergency services, and the district administration cleared several blocked roads, while the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) worked to restore power. “In some parts of Kokrajhar, it may take at least two days to restore electricity,” an official said.
Early Monsoon Advance
The monsoon is expected to reach Kerala on May 26, earlier than its usual June 1 onset, indicating a likely advance over Assam and the northeast. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) reported storm damage in parts of Bongaigaon, South Salmara, and Majuli districts on Monday, including infrastructure damage to four schools, 11 power department poles, and three transformers.
According to the IMD, heavy to very heavy rainfall (11-20 cm) was recorded at isolated places in Meghalaya, while heavy rainfall (7-11 cm) occurred at isolated locations in Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura during the 24 hours ending at 8:30 am on Monday.
