Assam batters deadly floods as death toll mounts to 68; why Northeast region is flooding this year ?
According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), four people have lost their lives in the deluge in a day, with Sivasagar accounting for three deaths, and Charaideo one.
PTC News Desk: Assam is once again facing severe floods, with 68 people losing their lives this year and more than 5.24 lakh people affected across five districts. Charaideo is the worst-hit district, while thousands of displaced families are staying in relief camps.
Hundreds of relief camps continue to shelter thousands of displaced residents.
According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), four people have lost their lives in the deluge in a day, with Sivasagar accounting for three deaths, and Charaideo one.
So far, 68 people have died in this year's flood in the state.
Why Assam is flooding this year ?
The main reason for Assam's yearly floods is its geography, heavy monsoon rainfall, and the Brahmaputra River.
The Brahmaputra, one of the world's largest rivers, begins in Tibet as the Yarlung Tsangpo. It flows through the Himalayas, enters Arunachal Pradesh as the Siang, and becomes the Brahmaputra when it reaches Assam. Along the way, it collects huge amounts of water from glaciers, melting snow, mountain streams, and heavy rainfall, making it extremely powerful by the time it reaches the Assam Valley.
Assam is located in a narrow valley surrounded by the Eastern Himalayas, the Patkai and Naga Hills, and the Meghalaya Plateau. During the monsoon, moisture-laden winds from the Bay of Bengal hit these mountains, causing very heavy rainfall. The rainwater quickly flows into the Brahmaputra through hundreds of tributaries, including the Subansiri, Manas, Jia Bharali, Dhansiri, and Kopili rivers.
The relief ops by @IAF_MCC and our District Administrations continue in full swing in flood affected areas.
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 26, 2026
As there are some dry patches now available due to water receding in some areas, the airdrops are now more targeted & benefitting larger number of people.#AssamFloods pic.twitter.com/6n6Ml2aGAC
Another major reason for flooding is the large amount of sand, silt, and rocks carried by the Brahmaputra. These materials come from the rapidly eroding Himalayan mountains. Over time, they settle on the riverbed, raising its level and reducing its ability to carry floodwater.
The Brahmaputra also keeps changing its course, creating sandbars known as chars. These shifting channels make it difficult to maintain embankments and increase the chances of breaches during periods of heavy rainfall, leading to frequent flooding across Assam.