Assam Floods: 68 Dead, Thousands in Relief Camps as State Battles Annual Deluge

THE STATE OF ASSAM continues to battle one of its worst flood situations in recent years along the Brahmaputra River affecting lakhs of people. Although the overall flood situation has improved since Friday, July 24, 2026, with water levels receding across most affected districts, caution is still needed. The floods have affected lakhs of people across the state, claiming lives and causing extensive damage to infrastructure. According to the latest data from the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), the death toll has risen to 68 after two more people died in Charaideo district, Assam.

Lakhs of people in Assam remain affected across five districts—Charaideo, Golaghat, Jorhat, Nagaon, and Sivasagar. Among these, Charaideo continues to be the worst-hit district, with nearly 1.9 lakh residents still affected by floodwaters. Over the past week, the floods have submerged hundreds of villages and damaged agricultural land, roads, bridges, embankments, and other public infrastructure.

According to reports, the number of affected people has reduced from over seven lakh at the peak of the flooding. However, thousands of families are still unable to return to their homes and continue to stay in relief camps. Officials said that most major rivers have fallen below the danger level, except the Dhansiri River at Numaligarh in Golaghat district, where authorities have advised people to stay away from the riverbanks.

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Government Relief and Rescue during Assam Floods

Rescue and relief operations are continuing across the affected districts with the help of the Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Assam Police, Fire and Emergency Services, and the local administration. In areas cut off by floodwaters, relief materials are being air-dropped to ensure affected families receive essential assistance.

The government has set up hundreds of relief camps and relief distribution centres across the flood-hit districts. More than 37,000 displaced people are currently staying in these camps, with Sivasagar alone housing over 30,000 people in dozens of relief shelters. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the government's focus has now shifted from rescue operations to restoration and rehabilitation as floodwaters continue to recede.

The Chief Minister also said that electricity, which had been disconnected in many areas as a safety measure during the floods, is now being restored in phases after detailed inspections of power infrastructure. Restoration work is underway in districts including Sivasagar, Jorhat, Charaideo, Dhubri, Bongaigaon, and Golaghat. The state government has also announced that damaged schools, roads, embankments, bridges, and other public infrastructure will be repaired on priority. Medical teams remain deployed across affected districts, while food grains, including rice, continue to be supplied to flood-hit communities.

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Which Areas Are Worst Affected in the Assam Floods?

The worst-affected districts in the current flood situation are Charaideo, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, and Nagaon. When the floods were at their worst, more than seven lakh people across multiple districts were affected, with Charaideo and Sivasagar districts accounting for the highest number of flood victims. Even now, hundreds of villages remain submerged, while thousands of residents continue to stay in relief camps.

Although water levels have started to recede in many places, the disaster has caused widespread destruction across the state. The floodwaters have severely damaged homes, agricultural fields, roads, bridges, schools, and embankments. In several locations, electricity supply had to be suspended as a precaution against electrocution and damage to electrical infrastructure. Restoration work is progressing gradually after engineers complete safety inspections.

Why is there flood in Assam every year?

Assam floods almost every year because of its unique geographical location and heavy monsoon rains, which cause the Brahmaputra River to overflow. The state is surrounded by mountains, so heavy rainfall in Assam as well as neighbouring states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Bhutan quickly flows down into the plains. This causes the Brahmaputra river and its many tributaries to rise rapidly.

The Brahmaputra also carries large amounts of sand, mud, and rocks from the Himalayas. Over time, these materials raise the riverbed, reducing the river's capacity to hold water. During the monsoon, when heavy rainfall occurs across the region, the river overflows its banks and floods nearby villages, towns, and farmland.

(Proofread by Vaishnavi Sivadasan)

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