Floods and landslides kill 5 in India

(Web Desk): Torrential monsoon rains have wreaked havoc in India's northeastern state of Assam, where at least five people have died due to flooding and landslides, officials confirmed on Saturday.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), five fatalities were reported in the past 24 hours. A red alert has been issued in 12 districts of the state, as continuous rainfall over the past three days has inundated several urban areas.

The situation in Guwahati city is particularly dire, with power cut off in several areas to prevent electrocution incidents. Hundreds of families have been forced to evacuate their homes and move to safer locations.

Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that rescue teams have been deployed and relief food supplies, including rice, have been dispatched.

In India, the monsoon season, which lasts from June to September, brings relief from extreme heat but also causes destruction, flooding, and fatalities. The Brahmaputra River and its tributaries have exceeded their banks, raising concerns of further devastation.

Experts say that climate change is intensifying the monsoon, although scientists have yet to fully determine how rising temperatures are affecting monsoon patterns.