GUWAHATI: Thousands of trucks and other vehicles stranded overnight on National Highway 27 between Khanapara in Guwahati and Jorabat resumed their journeys on Monday, July 13, after a complete traffic standstill that lasted nearly 20 hours.
Drivers and crew members spent the night inside their vehicles as they waited for floodwaters to recede.
Heavy rainfall on Sunday triggered flash floods and severe waterlogging at Jorabat, 9th Mile and 10th Mile, prompting the Guwahati Traffic Police to impose immediate traffic diversions that severely disrupted vehicular movement.
On Monday morning, several vehicles were found broken down along the waterlogged stretch between Khanapara and Jorabat.
Apart from waterlogging, silt and debris flowing onto NH27 from the Meghalaya side made traffic movement nearly impossible overnight. Authorities have since launched clearance operations to remove the accumulated debris from the highway.
Mud and silt have accumulated across large stretches of the road near Amerigog, 9th Mile, 10th Mile and Jorabat.
A four-wheeler was also damaged after being struck by landslide debris. However, no injuries or fatalities were reported, a police official from Jorabat Outpost told GPlus.
Police officials said no long-distance buses were able to complete their scheduled journeys through the affected stretch on Sunday evening.
Light motor vehicles (LMVs) travelling towards Guwahati were diverted at Digaru, while those heading out of the city were diverted at Koinadhara Point. Motorists leaving Guwahati were also advised to use the Narengi route to avoid the flood-affected stretch.
With heavy rainfall continuing across the region, authorities have advised commuters to remain cautious while travelling through the Jorabat corridor, where waterlogging and landslide debris continue to cause challenges.