Guwahati: Heavy rain lashed several parts of Guwahati on Friday, triggering a landslide in Sonapur area on the city’s outskirts. The landslide damaged a house and trapped a family of three inside, officials from Kamrup (Metropolitan) district administration said.The incident occurred in the morning in Moupur NC village, about 39 km from Guwahati. Officials said 6 mm of rain loosened soil on a hillside, causing mud and debris to slide into the house.“There was no casualty. The three members of the family were rescued and taken to hospital,” an official from Kamrup (Metropolitan) district administration said.The injured were identified as Chandra Marak, Sunita Changma and Riknasa Changma. They were taken to a private hospital in Meghalaya, officials said.“The incident was one of several reported in the city and its outskirts during the monsoon season. Guwahati has witnessed frequent landslides in recent years, which officials have attributed to rapid urbanisation, hill cutting, deforestation and unplanned construction on vulnerable slopes,” an official said.“Although we have repeatedly informed residents about the dangers associated with such activities and the risks they pose, they often fail to heed the warnings despite repeated advisories,” the official said.District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) also issued an alert for residents living in 366 identified vulnerable zones across 19 hills in the city, asking those at risk to move to safer locations.The vulnerable zones include 77 in Sunsali Hill, 40 in Noonmati, 37 in Kharguli, 33 in Khanapara, 31 in Narangi, 30 in Hengrabari, 25 in Kahilipara, 20 in Santipur, 14 in Narakasur Hill, nine in Garbhanga, eight in Maligaon, seven in Kalapahar, six each in Gotanagar and Nabagraha, five each in Fatasil, Kamakhya-Nilachal, Sarania and Koina-Dhora, two in Jalukbari-Lankeshwar and one in Sukreswar.Previous landslides have been reported in Pandu, Basistha, Kharguli, Chandmari and several other parts of the city.Meanwhile, Friday’s rain also caused flooding in Jorabat. Several adjoining areas, including Panjabari, Beltola and Hatigaon, were inundated, disrupting traffic and inconveniencing commuters.“The Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority is constructing a road-cum-drain in our area, but the slow pace of the work has resulted in water accumulating in the locality. Despite repeated complaints and requests, the work has not been completed on time, leaving residents to deal with severe waterlogging, particularly during heavy rain. The situation has made it difficult for residents to move around and has caused considerable inconvenience,” said Parkhi Chanda, a Panjabari resident.
