Recent floods in the Indian state of Assam have claimed 100 lives and affected approximately 1.2 million people across 25 districts. The disaster has impacted 456 villages, leading to the establishment of 52 relief camps.
More than 19,000 houses have been damaged, and over 75,000 individuals are currently housed in 252 relief camps. The floods have been particularly severe in parts of Upper Assam, inundating villages like Charing that residents say have not experienced such flooding in their lifetime.
One account describes Bornali Baruah and her husband rescuing her 97-year-old mother on a makeshift banana raft on 19 July, as floodwaters surged through their village of Charing in Sivasagar district. The water reached three to four feet deep with a strong current, forcing them to move slowly to a shelter camp on a national highway.
Ms Baruah, a former journalist who became a livestock farmer, reported losing most of her goats, 300 ducks, 300 chickens, and a significant amount of fish, along with farm equipment and household items. She stated that there is no insurance system for livestock in the area.
According to Dhrubajyoti Sahariah, a professor of geography at Gauhati University, while flooding is natural in the Brahmaputra Valley, the recent events show an increase in the "frequency, intensity and severity of floods well beyond historical norms." He attributes this to continuous heavy rainfall, increased settlement on floodplains, deforestation, mining, hill-cutting, and infrastructure development that has not adequately considered the region's hydrology.
Ms Baruah and her family are currently staying at a neighbour's house, hoping to return to their flood-damaged home within a week. She is considering raising her house's foundation and stocking supplies in advance if heavy rain returns.