A staggering 6.4 lakh people from 1,275 villages across 19 districts had been affected, forcing 8,142 individuals to seek refuge in 72 relief camps spread across 11 districts.
Over a month after the monsoons hit the Northeast on June 10, Assam continues to reel under severe inundation after days of relentless rainfall. The floodwaters have submerged thousands of villages, forced the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, and threatened the fragile ecosystems of the region, including the iconic Kaziranga National Park.
A staggering 6.4 lakh people from 1,275 villages across 19 districts had been affected, forcing 8,142 individuals to seek refuge in 72 relief camps spread across 11 districts.
#WATCH | Morigaon, Assam: The flood situation deteriorated on Monday after the waters of the Brahmaputra River spread to villages pic.twitter.com/qxNT1jgt1q
— ANI (@ANI) July 2, 2024
The situation has been exacerbated by the overflowing of key rivers such as the Brahmaputra, Desang, Subansiri, Dekhow, Buridehing, Beki, and Barak, which have breached their banks and left a trail of destruction in their wake. The neighbouring state of Arunachal Pradesh has also been grappling with similar challenges with the Itanagar district administration closing schools until July 6 due to the worsening conditions.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has emphasised that the next 3-4 days will be critical for the state, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast moderate to heavy rain in the region over the coming days. The state administration is bracing itself for a potential deterioration in the situation, underscoring the need for a coordinated and proactive response.
Saving lives and livelihoods: Rescue operations
As the floodwaters continue to rise, authorities have launched daring operations to rescue stranded individuals. On Tuesday, the Indian Air Force (IAF) airlifted 13 fishermen who had been marooned on a riverine island in Dibrugarh district since June 28.
The Kaziranga struggle: Protecting wildlife amid the surge
The Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its population of the majestic one-horned rhinoceros, has also been severely impacted by the flooding. As 95 out of 233 forest checkposts have been inundated, the park has witnessed the migration of its wildlife to the neighbouring hills of Karbi Anglong, a testament to the resilience of these species in the face of the deluge.
VIDEO | Flood situation worsens in Assam. Visuals from Kaziranga National Park.
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/I3TVlMOqJh
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 2, 2024
Four hog deer have already perished in the floodwaters. Forest department officials are trying to rescue and relocate affected animals to safer areas.
The way forward: State braces for more rain
With the IMD’s predictions of continued heavy rainfall in the coming days, the state administration is engaged in a race against time to fortify its emergency response and ensure the safety of its citizens. The deployment of the Assam Rifles to rescue stranded individuals in Namsai and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh, and the rescue of around 500 people as of Monday evening, are testament to the ongoing efforts to mitigate the crisis.
After monsoon arrived in Assam on June 10, the weather department recorded an average rainfall of 41 mm in 24 hours on June 17. The IMD predicted moderate rainfall over five days after that, with heavy to very heavy rainfall likely at isolated places.
Assam is hit by several rounds of floods every year. The lowlands and riverine areas bear the brunt of the deluge. The flooding pattern is usually repeated year-to-year. However, at times, this pattern is disturbed — this year for example. There is no standard pattern to the recurrence of mega, unpredictable floods. The incidence of such megafloods depends on several variables like unusually high rainfall and the failure of critical embankments.
The rapid transformation in rainfall characteristics and flooding patterns demand building people’s resilience. The region’s historical experiences offer several valuable lessons in adaptation to floods. At the same time, climate-imposed exigencies demand new paradigms of early-warning and response systems and securing livelihoods and economies.