A tragic incident unfolded in Guwahati on Sunday night when a woman lost her life after being swept into an open roadside drain during heavy rainfall and severe waterlogging. The victim, identified as Payel Nath, reportedly slipped into the uncovered drain along a footpath as parts of the city were inundated following continuous downpour.

Teams from the Guwahati city police and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) immediately launched a search operation, but despite hours of effort, there was no trace of her initially, heightening anxiety among local residents. Later, two young men discovered her unconscious nearly 150 metres away inside an exposed section of the drain. She was rushed to hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

The incident has sparked concern over civic safety measures in the city, where uncovered drains often pose hazards during monsoon-like conditions. In response to the flash floods caused by the heavy rain, the district administration ordered the closure of all government and private educational institutions within the Guwahati Municipal Corporation area on Monday. An official notification from the Assam government stated that the decision was taken “in view of the situation arising out of the flash flood caused by heavy rains in Guwahati city that occurred on 19/04/2026.”