Assam Underwater Again: Floods Take Everything, Government Takes Notes

'It Took Everything From Us': Assam Faces Worst Floods in Years When Saline Patro watched the rain from her home in Jorhat district on 19 July, she had no idea that within hours, her family would lose almost everything. The 18-year-old recalled hearing rushing water and people shouting in the afternoon. Within minutes, floodwater had entered her home, forcing her to help her elderly parents and younger brother move to higher ground. Patro later returned in an attempt to save whatever belongings she could. But by the time she made her way back through the floodwaters, the family home had been washed away. "We had a television, a cupboard and a sofa. Nothing was left," she told BBC Hindi from a relief camp. "We couldn't even save a glass to drink water from." For Patro and thousands of other residents, the floods have brought devastation, displacement and uncertainty. A State Living With Annual Floods Flooding is a recurring reality in Assam, where nearly 40% of the state is classified as flood-prone by India's National Flood Commission. The state lies on the vast floodplain of the Brahmaputra, one of the world's largest rivers. The river flows down from the Himalayas and is fed by more than 50 tributaries, creating a complex network of waterways across Assam. During the annual monsoon, heavy rainfall increases the volume of water flowing through the river system. As the Brahmaputra moves across Assam's flat plains, it carries and deposits large quantities of sand and silt. Over time, this can reduce the river's capacity to carry water and increase the risk of flooding. Experts say the situation has been made more difficult by several factors, including deforestation upstream, ageing embankments and increasingly intense rainfall associated with climate change. Heavy Rain Triggers Widespread Destruction Exceptionally heavy rainfall across parts of Assam and neighbouring Nagaland in mid-July triggered some of the state's most severe flooding in decades. State minister Pijush Hazarika described the disaster as Assam's worst in six decades. At least 68 people have reportedly died over the past four weeks, including 58 in the preceding week, while around 40 people remained missing. Government data indicated that more than 600,000 people had been affected, with tens of thousands forced to leave their homes and seek shelter in relief camps. On 21 July alone, 21 people reportedly died within a 24-hour period. Many were swept away or drowned in floodwaters, while others lost their lives in landslides and house collapses. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said some districts in Assam and Nagaland experienced rainfall between approximately 435% and 490% above normal during the period, causing rivers to rise at an unprecedented rate. Upper Assam Among the Worst-Hit Areas The flooding particularly affected Upper Assam, where rivers and tributaries flowing down from surrounding hills feed into the Brahmaputra. Districts including Sivasagar, Charaideo and Jorhat were among the worst affected. As floodwaters cut off villages and roads became inaccessible, rescue teams faced difficulties reaching stranded residents. Assam Chief Secretary Ravi Kotta said officials had been sent to the worst-hit areas to accelerate relief and restoration efforts. Authorities prioritised the distribution of essential relief materials and the restoration of critical services. But for many families, immediate rescue is only the beginning of a much longer struggle. Mother and Son Spend 12 Hours in a Tree Among those caught in the floods was Rekhamoni Gogoi, a resident of Holang Katoni village in Sivasagar district. Gogoi and her seven-year-old son were forced to spend around 12 hours in a mango tree after floodwaters rapidly engulfed their village. According to her account to local media, the water rose to chest level within an hour on 19 July following heavy rain in Upper Assam. She initially sought shelter at a neighbour's home but was forced to flee again as the water continued to rise. At around 20:00 local time, Gogoi and her son climbed into a large mango tree in a courtyard. Other women reportedly helped her climb while carrying her son before joining them on the branches. "There was darkness all around us. There seemed to be no hope of survival, but I refused to lose courage," she said. The pair spent the night in the tree without food or water. Gogoi recalled that her son tried to comfort her by suggesting that they could survive by eating leaves. The mother and son were eventually rescued the following morning and taken to a relief camp, where they are waiting for the floodwaters to recede. Recovery Now Becomes the Next Challenge With the immediate emergency continuing to ease in some areas, the focus is beginning to shift towards rehabilitation and rebuilding. Chief Minister Sarma said the government's attention was moving towards recovery, with ministers deployed across the state to coordinate rehabilitation efforts. However, rebuilding lives after a major flood can take months or even years. For Patro's family, the loss of their home has left an uncertain future. Her parents work as daily wage labourers, and the family had spent years building the house that was swept away. "My parents spent years building that house," she said. "I don't know what we will do now. It will take us years to build another one." Her story reflects the wider challenge facing Assam: rescuing people from floodwaters is only the first step. For thousands of affected families, the difficult task of rebuilding homes, restoring livelihoods and preparing for the next monsoon has already begun. The disaster has once again highlighted Assam's long-standing vulnerability to flooding and raised questions about the need for stronger embankments, improved early-warning systems, better disaster preparedness and long-term strategies to address the environmental factors that may be intensifying the state's flood risk.