Flood death toll in India’s Assam reaches 100 as thousands lose their homes : NPR

GUWAHATI, India — On Monday, the flood situation in India’s northeastern state of Assam remained dire, with officials reporting the death toll had reached 100 following two more fatalities overnight.

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority reported that several rivers remain above danger levels, posing a threat of renewed flooding in vulnerable areas. The heavy monsoon rains have led to the overflow of rivers, including the Brahmaputra, inundating communities, disrupting lives, and causing extensive infrastructure damage.

The Brahmaputra River, originating in China’s Tibet region and flowing approximately 900 kilometers (560 miles) through Assam, has flooded villages, destroyed homes, and forced nearly 300,000 people into government-run relief camps, according to officials.

Beginning last month, the floods displaced over 700,000 individuals, submerging large portions of farmland and damaging roads and other local infrastructure. Though many residents have started returning as waters recede, around 49,000 people affected by the floods are still in 125 relief camps and distribution centers, officials stated.

Authorities continue to provide relief and monitor the situation as they evaluate the damage and assess the needs of the affected communities.

The floods have also had a devastating impact on livestock, with numerous cattle lost, severely affecting rural communities and raising concerns about potential disease outbreaks. Many families returning to their homes face the challenge of thick silt deposits, complicating recovery efforts.

Farukuddin Ahmed, a 47-year-old trader from Nazira town in Assam’s hardest-hit Sivasagar district, noted that displaced families are gradually returning home, often having to rebuild on land buried under two to three feet (up to a meter) of silt.

In the nearby village of Nepali Khuti, which had about 100 households before the floods, Ahmed reported, “Only a few houses are left, and the rest were washed away by the surging floodwaters.”

“The residents, mainly dairy farmers, have to start over, having lost all their cattle,” he added.

Ahmed mentioned that aid in the form of roofing sheets and other building materials has started to arrive.

Assam Agriculture and Irrigation Minister Pijush Hazarika stated after a review meeting, “We have directed officials to complete damage assessment as soon as possible so the government could provide financial assistance for their rehabilitation.” He noted that some 50,000 affected individuals have already received interim monetary compensation.

Flooding is a frequent occurrence during the annual monsoon season in Assam, as swollen rivers inundate large areas, displacing thousands each year.

Experts suggest that human-induced climate change is intensifying South Asia’s monsoons, which typically occur from June to September and again from October to December. These rains, once predictable, now come in erratic bursts, dumping extreme amounts of water in short periods, followed by dry spells.