Guwahati Flooded, Sikkim on Alert as Teesta River Rises
May 6 | By Global – Guwahati/Sikkim — The rain came down all night. By morning, Guwahati wasn’t the same city anymore.
Water filled the streets. People waded through it — knee-deep in some places, waist-deep in others. Markets were shut, roads blocked, and homes flooded. What looked like a routine monsoon turned into a real emergency.
“Water’s in Our Kitchen Now”
In Chandmari, Zoo Road, and Bharalumukh, the scenes were hard to ignore. Children stood on stools inside homes. Neighbors helped carry each other’s belongings to higher floors.
“We didn’t sleep. My wife and I were scooping out water with buckets all night,” said Rakesh Dey, who runs a small grocery shop near Silpukhuri. “Now it’s in our kitchen.”
Emergency crews are using pumps to clear the worst-hit areas. But with the rain still falling, the water isn’t going anywhere fast.
Teesta River Rising in Sikkim
In nearby Sikkim, the problem isn’t flooding in streets — it’s the Teesta River, now swollen and dangerously close to breaching safety levels.
Villages along the river, especially around Singtam, Melli, and Rangpo, are on alert. Locals say they’ve never seen the water rise this fast in such a short time.
“We moved the kids to my sister’s house on the hill,” said Pema Bhutia, a farmer near Rangpo. “I don’t want to take chances. The river’s angry.”
Disaster teams are now on the ground, readying for possible evacuations if the situation worsens.
More Rain Coming, Say Officials
The weather department isn’t giving any relief either. Heavy rain is expected for the next two days across Assam, Sikkim, and parts of Arunachal Pradesh.
People have been told to stay indoors. Schools are closed in several districts. And mobile alerts are urging citizens to avoid travel and keep emergency numbers handy.
Big Questions About City Planning
This isn’t new for Guwahati. Every year, rain drowns parts of the city. Drains get clogged, and areas that should never flood end up underwater.
“Everyone talks about development,” said Anuradha Nath, a college student from Uzan Bazar. “But then it rains — and we’re back to boats and buckets.”
Experts say the drainage system is old and broken, and natural water paths have been blocked by illegal construction.
Sikkim, on the other hand, is worried about landslides and river embankments. Environmental groups have warned for years that more intense rain, triggered by climate shifts, will test the region’s limits.
The Real Danger
This isn’t just rain. It’s a reminder — that cities must prepare better, rivers must be respected, and planning can’t be ignored.
Right now, thousands are just hoping the water stops rising. Let’s hope they’re not left to handle it alone.
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