Over 1.7 lakh people affected across 12 districts as Assam battles severe flooding
Guwahati, July 20
The flood situation in Assam has deteriorated as over 1.70 lakh people of 12 districts of the state are affected in the deluge. In the last 24 hours, one person died after drowning in flood waters at the Amguri area in Sivasagar district, and this year's total death toll in floods in Assam has risen to 5.
According to the reports of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), more than 1.70 lakh people of 12 districts, including Biswanath, Cachar, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Golaghat, Tinsukia, Lakhimpur, Karbi Anglong, Sivasagar, Udalguri, and Jorhat, have been affected by the flood, and the floodwaters inundated 10362.904 hectares of crop area.
23891 people have been affected alone in Charaideo district, while 22214 people have been affected in Dhemaji district.
Following incessant rainfall in several parts of Assam and neighbouring states Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, the water levels of the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries are in a rising trend in many locations.
According to the reports of the Central Water Commission, the river Desang at Desangpani in the Charaideo district is continuing to flow in an extreme flood situation, and on Monday at 9 am it was flowing at a level of 106.36 metres with a rising trend, which is 0.10 metres above its previous Highest Flood Level of 106.26 metres.
River Buridehing at Chenimari (Khowang) in Dibrugarh district is flowing in a difficult situation, and this morning at 6 am, it was flowing at a level of 102.66 metres with a rising trend, which is 0.55 metres above its Danger Level.
River Brahmaputra at Neamatighat in the Jorhat district continues to flow in a difficult situation, and this morning at 6 am, it was flowing at a level of 85.88 meters with a rising trend, which is 0.34 metres above its Danger Level.
River Gaurang at Kokrajhar in Kokrajhar district continues to flow in an above-normal flood situation with a rising trend.
River Dikhow at Sivasagar in Sivasagar district is now flowing in an extreme flood situation, and on Monday at 5 am, it was flowing at a level of 94.39 meters with a rising trend, which is 1.99 meters above its Danger Level.
River Dhansiri (South) at Numaligarh in Golaghat district is also continuing to flow in a difficult situation.
A total of 580 villages under 30 revenue circles have been affected in the current wave of flooding.
A total of 6 teams of the 12th Bn. NDRF (total 186 manpower with 24 boats) are deployed in Sivasagar and Charaideo districts. 2 teams of 1st Bn. NDRF (total 60 manpower with 10 Boats) engaged in a flood rescue operation in Jorhat district.
SDRF teams from other districts are also pressed into the Flood Rescue Operations in Charaideo, Sivasagar, Jorhat and Golaghat districts.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I'm from Assam originally, and this hits close to home. My cousins in Jorhat are stranded — no electricity, no clean water. The NDRF and SDRF are doing their best with 24 boats, but think about it: 30 revenue circles affected, and only 186 NDRF personnel deployed? That's barely covering 10 villages per team. 😔 The real issue is climate change making monsoons more unpredictable. We need national-level attention, not just state-level helplessness.
Sad to see this news. The death toll of 5 so far, but it could spike if waters keep rising. Rivers like Dikhow are already 1.99 meters above danger level — that's crazy! 😢 I hope the Centre releases enough funds for Assam. My heart goes out to the farmers whose 10,000 hectares of crops are gone. PM Modi should visit the region, show some solidarity. Northeast often feels forgotten in national conversations.
It's not just Assam — the entire Brahmaputra basin is fragile. The report mentions Nagaland and Arunachal also getting heavy rain, so this is a regional crisis. But I'm glad the ASDMA is at least tracking data: 580 villages, 12 districts, 30 revenue circles. That's transparency. Still, we need more proactive measures: flood shelters, boats, and medical camps should be pre-positioned before monsoon starts. Every year same pattern, same panic. 😟
As someone living in Bangalore but whose roots are in Assam, I feel helpless watching this from afar. My family in Dibrugarh says the Buridehing river is scary — 0.55 meters above danger level. 😥 The government should prioritize funding for smart flood management: real-time sensors, better weather forecasting, and river dredging. Also, why aren't we talking about relocation of vulnerable villages? Even if
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