A State vs Region: How Centre Shut Its Eyes to NE’s Flood Woes

The Centre’s selective aid distribution exposes a glaring disparity in how Himalayan disasters versus Northeastern floods are addressed.

BY Navin Upadhyay

September 16, 2025 – As the Northeast India grapples with the lingering scars of one of the worst monsoons in decades, a stark contrast in central relief efforts has ignited accusations of regional bias. While Uttarakhand–  population of 11.2 million  and area at 53,483 sq km– received a whopping ₹1,200 crore in special assistance just a day after a devastating cloudburst flooded Dehradun, the flood-ravaged states of Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh—together boasting a landmass exceeding 165,000 square kilometers and a population of over 11 million—continue to reel under inadequate funding. Many villages remain cut off, and thousands languish in relief camps.

The monsoon fury that struck the Northeast in early June, triggered by a depression over Bangladesh and Meghalaya, claimed over 46 lives in its first week alone and displaced more than 5.5 lakh people across eight states. Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh bore a disproportionate brunt, with 700-plus landslides—552 in Mizoram alone—burying homes and isolating communities in treacherous hilly terrain.

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Manipur’s Imphal Valley saw over 165,000 affected and 35,000 homes damaged, exacerbated by ethnic violence that has left the state in turmoil. Fresh flash floods in September submerged districts like Imphal East and Thoubal, forcing thousands back into makeshift camps. Roads remain impassable, and aid distribution is hampered by ongoing clashes.

15.09.2025#India
Due to rains in Manipur,the water level in rivers rose, leading to floods.Houses and residential complexes were flooded.Communicated about landslides.A record amount of precipitation fell in Banikhale for 11 years, and in Kathua for 7 years.There are casualties. pic.twitter.com/xKiVhWsP4N

— Climate Review (@ClimateRe50366) September 15, 2025

In the hill regions such as Senapati, Ukhrul, Tamenglong, and Churachandpur, incessant rains triggered massive landslides that buried homes, blocked highways, and severed lifelines to remote villages. Entire slopes collapsed in Tamenglong, one of the most landslide-prone districts, sweeping away farms and washing out bridges that connected hamlets to district centers. Relief supplies have struggled to reach communities perched on steep terrain, with many villages remaining cut off for weeks.

In Churachandpur, flash floods destroyed terraced paddy fields that sustain local livelihoods, leaving farmers on the brink of starvation. Streams swelling into torrents carried boulders and uprooted trees downhill, damaging schools, churches, and community halls that doubled as shelters. With roads washed away, residents have resorted to makeshift bamboo rafts and precarious footpaths to move between villages.

Ukhrul district witnessed cascading mudslides that obliterated homes built on slopes, while several families were forced to seek refuge in forest clearings after their settlements became inaccessible. Senapati’s hilly stretches saw culverts collapse and highways fractured, choking supply lines of essential goods such as rice, salt, and medicines.

Adding to the misery, ethnic strife in the state has hindered coordinated relief efforts in the hills. Clashes in border areas between communities have meant that even where relief trucks could pass, security concerns often held them back. This has left thousands in the hills without consistent aid, relying on local self-help groups and churches for survival.

Overall, the combination of floods, landslides, and conflict  made Manipur’s hill districts one of the hardest-hit yet least-supported regions in the Northeast during this monsoon season

Mizoram:  Mizoram  witnessed severe flooding this year due to incessant rainfall, landslides, and swollen rivers. Heavy monsoon showers in July and August triggered flash floods across several districts, particularly in Aizawl, Lunglei, and Kolasib. Rivers such as the Tlawng and Tuirial overflowed, inundating low-lying areas and damaging roads, bridges, and farmlands.

Landslides, a recurring problem in the hilly terrain of Mizoram, compounded the crisis by cutting off highways and disrupting connectivity to remote villages. Several houses were either swept away or damaged, and hundreds of families had to be evacuated to relief camps.

The floods claimed lives, caused displacement, and left behind significant agricultural losses. Paddy fields and plantations suffered extensive damage, threatening livelihoods in a predominantly agrarian state. Relief and rescue efforts were carried out by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local volunteers, and NGOs, with limited support from central agencies.

Nagaland: Nagaland’s floods isolated 48,000 families across 532 villages, including a deadly rockfall on National Highway-29. Meghalaya, at the epicenter of the depression, endured six deaths from urban flooding and mudslides in Shillong and surrounding areas. Thousands were displaced amid record downpours in Cherrapunji and Mawsynram—the world’s wettest places. Arunachal Pradesh faced the region’s highest death toll at 12, with over 30,000 affected across 24 districts. Flash floods submerged six villages in Changlang and swept away vehicles, leaving 2,231 homeless.

Collectively, these five states span 165,000+ square kilometers—nearly double Uttarakhand’s 53,483 sq km—and house over 10 million people. Their crisis is amplified by isolation, ethnic strife, and border vulnerabilities. Yet, their pleas for aid have been met with trickles from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), totaling a mere ₹130 crore in central shares for the year so far.

Nature’s beauty carries its own fury.
Last night in Sahastradhara, Dehradun, the gentle streams turned into a furious river. A sudden #cloudburst washed away the calm and left fear in its place. I pray the missing return safely and the mountains find their silence again.
🌧🙏 pic.twitter.com/ahgjh8NI2x

— Yash Tiwari (@DrYashTiwari) September 16, 2025

In stark juxtaposition, Uttarakhand’s August 5 cloudburst in Uttarkashi—a glacial outburst or landslide that killed five and left 50 missing, and September 15 cloudburst—prompted a rapid response. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced ₹1,200 crore in immediate assistance. The package included ₹2 lakh ex-gratia per deceased family, ₹50,000 for the injured, and funds under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana for home reconstruction. This builds on the state’s earlier ₹455.60 crore SDRF tranche in July, pushing Uttarakhand’s total central flood aid in 2025 to ₹1,655.60 crore.

State-wise Central Assistance 2025

For comparison, Assam—the Northeast’s largest state—garnered ₹375.60 crore from SDRF alone, overshadowing its smaller neighbors despite their per-capita devastation. No dedicated Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) allocations have been announced for Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya, or Arunachal Pradesh, leaving locals to rely on Army deployments like Operation Jal Rahat-2, which rescued 3,820 people in the region.

As the IMD warns of erratic post-monsoon rains, the Northeast’s rivers run red with unmet pleas. With Uttarakhand’s aid flowing swiftly, questions mount: Will Delhi’s gaze turn eastward before the next deluge?