Assam floods: 98 dead, experts cite deforestation and mining as force multipliers

On July 19, a cloudburst upstream sent a sudden wall of water through Upper Assam, leaving the districts of Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat grappling with their worst flooding in decades. The Dikhow River breached its extreme flood level, inundating areas such as Bihubor, Nepali Khuti, Bihari Basti and Railwayghat in Sivasagar district.

Assam has a history of major floods, often striking up to five times a year. These recurring calamities kill scores of people and animals and cause damage to crops and assets worth more than ₹1,000 crore annually. This year, the floods have claimed at least 98 lives, with the eastern districts of Sivasagar, Charaideo and Jorhat bearing the brunt.

Although extreme rainfall triggered the deluge, experts point to deeper, man-made causes that may have intensified the disaster. Satellite imagery has revealed extensive excavation, deforestation and other human interventions along the river's upper reaches, particularly in neighboring Nagaland. Coal mining, stone quarrying and shifting (jhum) cultivation have stripped large stretches of hill slopes of vegetation, making them increasingly unstable and vulnerable to erosion and landslides. These activities, carried out over decades, have diminished the land's natural capacity to absorb rainwater, thereby worsening the floods downstream.

The debate over how to address Assam's chronic flood crisis has gained urgency. For decades, the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and other organisations have demanded that the Centre declare the State's flood and erosion crisis a "national problem." However, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has called for a more pragmatic approach.

"Declaring floods a national problem is not going to work. We need a national solution with scientific interventions. We need concrete schemes on how Assam can protect itself if water comes downhill from Nagaland," he said on Friday.

The Chief Minister observed that Assam has long relied on embankments and geo-bags for flood management, but lacks a scientific mechanism to tackle the issue. His remarks underscore the need for a comprehensive strategy that combines infrastructure, environmental conservation and cross-state coordination.

Meanwhile, rescue and relief operations continue in the affected districts. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been deployed to evacuate stranded villagers. As of the latest reports, 133 relief camps and relief distribution centres are operational across six districts, providing shelter and essential supplies to thousands of displaced families.

In Sivasagar town, makeshift arrangements have been made at relief camps to ensure children can continue their education. In the villages, displaced residents are returning to their damaged homes to salvage whatever they can. In Nepali Khuti village, Moromi Bora Bordoloi was seen searching for her children's books among the debris, a stark reminder of the personal losses that statistics often overlook. The aftermath has left thick layers of mud and silt on roads and dwellings, complicating the recovery process.

The floods have once again highlighted the fragile relationship between development and environment in the region. As authorities grapple with immediate rescue efforts, the longer-term questions about sustainable flood management and ecological preservation remain unresolved.