Assam floods wreak havoc: 12 dead, over 6 lakh affected as CM Sarma warns of wetland collapse and calls for urgent action

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJune 3, 2025

Assam’s flood situation worsened dramatically on Tuesday as six more people lost their lives, bringing the death toll in the season’s first wave to 12. More than 6.33 lakh people across 21 districts have been impacted, with rivers continuing to swell above danger marks.

Fresh casualties were reported from Lala (Hailakandi), Patherkandi (Sribhumi), Silchar (Cachar), Dhekuajuli (Sonitpur), and Sadiya (Tinsukia), according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).

A total of 1,506 villages across 69 revenue circles are submerged. Sribhumi remains the worst-hit, with over 2.31 lakh affected in 304 villages, followed by Nagaon (99,819 affected) and Hailakandi (78,038 affected).

Floodwaters have also damaged critical infrastructure including roads, bridges, embankments, and dykes, while 14,739 hectares of farmland lie underwater. Major rivers, including the Brahmaputra at Neamatighat and Tezpur, Katakhal at Matizuri, and several points of the Barak River, continue to flow above danger levels.

In response, the state government has opened 223 relief camps and 288 distribution centres, sheltering 39,746 people and supporting over 2.17 lakh others outside camps with food and aid.

Visiting flood-ravaged Silchar, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma pointed to unchecked urbanization and wetland destruction as key reasons behind worsening flood patterns. He cited the degradation of Malini Beel, Maheesha Beel, Rangirkhaal, and Singerkhal as major contributors to urban waterlogging.

“When wetlands are lost, everything goes haywire,” Sarma warned, stressing that protecting these natural drainage basins is crucial for managing floods in urban areas. He proposed a long-term policy shift focusing on wetland conservation and drainage system upgrades.

Sarma visited six relief camps, including those at Government Boys’ HS School and Kendriya Vidyalaya, directing officials to ensure 24×7 medical support, clean drinking water, and special care for children, elderly, and lactating mothers.

He confirmed that despite the Barak River breaching danger levels, no embankments have failed so far, and relief operations remain in full swing.

During his visit to the Sinking Zone in Tarapur Shibbari, where unstable soil halted previous construction, Sarma announced a deeper foundation drilling plan to resume work on a pedestal road.

To combat stagnant floodwaters in Silchar, 10 high-capacity water pumps have been deployed, with more on standby. A permanent pumping station has been proposed, alongside accelerated funding for the Berenga embankment project, modeled after Betukandi.

He also announced that the Katigora Gammon Setu will be completed by July 28, while Water Resources Minister Pijush Hazarika is set to visit Berenga on June 10 to review flood control works.

In Silchar, where one flood-related death has been reported, the Chief Minister personally handed over ex-gratia compensation to the victim’s family.

Sarma was joined by ministers Pijush Hazarika, Krishnendu Paul, Kaushik Rai, MP Parimal Suklabaidya, and multiple MLAs during his visit. The administration remains on high alert as rainfall continues in several parts of Assam.