Assam floods kill 95, affect 1.6 lakh across 14 districts

The monsoon floods in Assam have risen to a death toll of 95, with more than 1.6 lakh people impacted across 14 districts, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA). The worst‑hit district is Sivasagar, where over 57,000 residents are affected, followed by Golaghat and Jorhat. Authorities are operating 105 relief camps that shelter over 44,000 people and have distributed rice, dal, salt and mustard oil to flood victims in the last 24 hours.

Infrastructure damage is extensive: embankments, roads, bridges and the national highway near Teok are breached or submerged, and 563 villages are underwater. Crop loss totals about 16,951 hectares, while more than 35,000 domestic animals and poultry have been affected, with over 8,500 washed away.

Upstream water releases from Bhutan’s Kurichhu Hydropower Project have raised river levels in the Manas and Aie rivers, prompting emergency advisories in Lower Assam’s Bongaigaon district. Officials warn residents to avoid riverbanks and to be ready for evacuation.

The floods have also spurred calls for reform of disaster management, highlighting failures in early‑warning translation into preparedness. In a human‑interest note, 13‑year‑old Hridip Panika drowned while trying to rescue his puppy, prompting a visit from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who pledged assistance to the grieving family.