Dikhow River Floods Devastate Nazira, Assam, Displacing Thousands

Heavy monsoon rains caused the Dikhow River to burst its banks on July 19, 2026, inundating villages across the Nazira Co‑District in Upper Assam. Thousands of families were left homeless as homes, crops, livestock and personal belongings were destroyed or buried under silt. Many residents sought refuge on rooftops, trees, electric poles and even transformers, some remaining stranded for up to 15 hours without food or water until rescue teams arrived.

At least seven people, including a three‑year‑old child, have died and two more bodies were recovered. Survivors are living in temporary shelters, roadside encampments or on elevated ground, while access to food, drinking water and essential supplies remains limited. The floods also left vehicles stuck in thick mud and generated large amounts of plastic waste that threaten drainage systems.

Local villagers allege that illegal stone mining along the Assam‑Nagaland border worsened the flooding and are calling for strict enforcement. Authorities are being urged to move beyond immediate relief toward long‑term rehabilitation, including rebuilding homes, restoring farmland and repairing public infrastructure.