Guwahati: The city was battered by 137.8 mm of rain on Monday, inundating several key areas and triggering widespread flooding that also affected govt schools grappling with weak infrastructure.School staff cited leaking roofs, poor road conditions and inadequate drainage as recurring problems that worsen during heavy showers. At Sijubari LP School and Hatigaon High School, knee-deep floodwater entered school premises, creating difficulties for students and teachers.Principals said the impact on academics has been limited as students are on summer break, but warned that regular classes are disrupted when monsoon flooding persists.Noor Hussain, the principal of Sijubari LP School, said, “There are over 500 students studying in this school, and with every spell of rain the school ground gets inundated. We have to keep requesting the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) to flush out the water, which should have been its own responsibility. Due to this, many students also do not want to come to school.”GMC Ward 42 Councillor Masuma Begum attributed the flooding to continuous rainfall and inflow of floodwater from Meghalaya. “I urge people not to panic. Every department is working together to drain the water. If the rain stops, the water is expected to recede within the next two to three hours. I also urge everyone, especially children and the elderly, to stay indoors. If anyone needs urgent assistance, they can contact me,” she said.Teachers at Geetanagar High School said monsoon runoff from the Geetanagar hills flows down and seeps into classrooms. They said the school has taken measures to manage waterlogging, but added that due to insufficient funds, the fixes remain temporary.At Dispur Govt Higher Secondary School, principal Dayananda Bhuyan said the campus does not face major issues, but access becomes difficult due to waterlogging on the approach road. He said the Public Works Department (PWD) built a bridge there, but it was not aligned to the level of the adjoining road, causing water to collect around the area and inconveniencing students and staff.
