Water Levels 'Unseen In Half A Century': Assam Floods Claim 11 Lives, Over 12,000 Shifted To Relief Camps

Large parts of Assam remained under floodwaters on Tuesday morning as the death toll in this year's floods rose to 11 after one more person died in Upper Assam. The worsening flood situation has affected several districts, with thousands of people displaced and rescue operations continuing across the state.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described the situation in the Upper Assam districts of Sivasagar, Jorhat and Charaideo as "unprecedented", saying the region was witnessing water levels "unseen in half a century". The scale of the flooding highlights the severity of the crisis and the challenges facing rescue and relief agencies.

Rivers in spate, thousands moved to safety

As of 8 am on Tuesday, five rivers continued to flow above the danger mark. These include the Brahmaputra at Neamatighat, the Burhidihing at Khowang, the Dikhow at Sivasagar, the Disang at Nganglamuraghat, and the Dhansiri at both Golaghat and Numaligarh.

The floods were triggered by heavy rainfall since Sunday, causing rivers to swell and inundate large parts of Upper Assam. According to official figures, 12,720 people were staying in 52 relief camps set up across the affected areas. Rescue teams have evacuated 9,160 people using boats, underlining the scale of the emergency response.

Crops submerged, transport hit

According to estimates by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), around 3.1 lakh people had been affected by the floods as of Tuesday morning. The floodwaters have also submerged 14,411 hectares of agricultural land, raising concerns over the impact on farmers and livelihoods in the region.

The weather-related crisis has also disrupted normal life beyond flooded villages. An ASDMA official said landslides were reported at five locations in Guwahati on Monday evening, although no fresh incidents were reported on Tuesday.

Rail services have also been affected after railway tracks in and around Simalguri town in Sivasagar district were inundated. In response, the Railways announced special trains to assist passengers stranded due to train cancellations. With rivers still flowing above danger levels and vast areas remaining submerged, the focus continues to be on rescue, relief and restoring connectivity in the flood-hit state.