Flooding in India’s northeastern Assam state has killed at least 50 people and displaced 700,000 following days of relentless monsoon rain that caused the Brahmaputra River to overflow its banks, officials reported Friday.
The deluge submerged nearly 900 villages, swept away homes, and cut off electricity to more than 7,000 residences. The rising waters forced approximately 300,000 residents into government-run relief camps, while others sought shelter with relatives.
Officials have deployed police, disaster response teams, and local volunteers to rescue stranded individuals and deliver essential supplies. Helicopters conducted airdrops to provide aid to affected populations. The flooding also disrupted parts of Guwahati, Assam’s capital, where submerged roads left commuters stranded for hours, with some forced to remain at their offices overnight.
Jatin Gogoi, a 52-year-old farmer from Nazira, described losing his home and all his cattle. "I lost all my cattle. My five-member family and I have nowhere to go, so we are taking shelter in a relative’s home," he said.
Experts suggest that human-caused climate change is intensifying South Asia’s monsoon season. The monsoons, traditionally occurring from June to September and again from October to December, are now characterized by erratic bursts of extreme rainfall over short periods, interspersed with dry spells.