Assam flood crisis deepens: 5.15 lakh affected across 22 districts, CM orders urgent relief

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJune 2, 2025

Floodwaters have inundated large parts of Assam, affecting over 5.15 lakh people across 22 districts, as the state faces one of the worst flood waves of the year. The latest update from the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) highlights the escalating crisis, with 1,254 villages submerged under rising rivers.

A fresh death was reported from Doboka in Hojai district on Monday, bringing the total flood death toll to six. Two individuals remain missing — one in Dibrugarh and another in Hailakandi.

Sribhumi district has emerged as the worst-affected area, with 1,94,172 people displaced across 289 villages, followed by Cachar (77,961 affected) and Nagaon (67,880).

Several rivers are flowing dangerously above the red mark. These include the Brahmaputra, Subansiri, Burhidihing, Dhansiri, Kopili, Barak, Rukni, Dhaleswari, Katakhal, and Kushiyara, prompting alerts for possible breaches and further inundation.

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Relief efforts are intensifying across the flood-hit zones. 165 relief camps and 157 relief distribution centres have been opened, housing 31,212 people, including over 6,000 children. More than 1.54 lakh people have received food, drinking water, and essential supplies.

Rescue operations are being carried out by teams from the NDRF, SDRF, Assam Police, and Fire & Emergency Services, with 711 people evacuated by boat in the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, 94 animals have died in the floods, and nearly 4.68 lakh livestock have been affected.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited Lakhimpur district to assess the flood situation firsthand. He toured the submerged villages of Amtala and Barbila, where a breach in the Amtala embankment, built in 1989, led to widespread flooding of five revenue villages. He directed officials to expedite relief efforts and announced that the embankment will be fully reconstructed by September–October.

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Sarma also inspected the Pahumara-Dijo connecting road, damaged by the overflowing Ranganadi River, and instructed urgent repair under the Asom Mala project. At Barbila, he reviewed erosion along the embankment and asked the Water Resources Department to prevent further damage.

Accompanying the Chief Minister were Education Minister Dr. Ranoj Pegu, Water Resources Minister Pijush Hazarika, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Keshab Mahanta, local MLAs, and Deputy Commissioner Pronabjit Kakoty.

In a press briefing, Sarma assured that the state government would provide “all possible support” to those affected and take swift action to restore critical infrastructure.