Monsoon Floods Kill 41 in India’s Assam, Massive Relief Underway
NEW DELHI_ At least 41 people have died in India’s northeastern state of Assam after torrential monsoon rains triggered widespread flooding, state authorities said on Thursday, as rescue agencies, the armed forces and disaster response teams continued relief operations across hundreds of affected communities.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the fatalities occurred during the current monsoon season, which began in June, adding that thousands of livestock had also been swept away by floodwaters. In a social media update, he attributed the extensive flooding to cloudbursts upstream and exceptionally heavy localized rainfall that he said was 436% above normal.
According to Sarma, the flooding has affected around 900,000 people living in more than 1,800 villages across the state. Nearly 150 relief camps have been established to shelter close to 30,000 displaced residents as authorities work to provide food, medical assistance and other essential supplies.
The chief minister said personnel from the Indian Air Force, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were operating around the clock to conduct rescue missions and support relief efforts in the flood-hit areas.
A statement issued by the Assam government late on Wednesday said authorities had begun using payload drones to improve the delivery of relief supplies to remote communities cut off by floodwaters. The drones are being deployed to strengthen last-mile distribution where conventional transport has become difficult.
Officials also deployed more than 50 small boats to reach shallow-water areas inaccessible to larger rescue craft operated by state and national disaster response teams. The Indian Air Force and other armed forces units have additionally carried out airdrops of relief materials to isolated locations that remain beyond the reach of ground transportation.
Flooding is a recurring feature of India’s annual monsoon season, which typically runs from June through August. While the rains are essential for replenishing water supplies and supporting agriculture and industry, they frequently trigger floods, landslides and other weather-related disasters, particularly in vulnerable regions.
Large sections of India depend on the seasonal monsoon for farming, drinking water and economic activity. However, many areas also experience alternating periods of drought and intense rainfall, increasing the risks associated with rapidly changing weather conditions.
Scientists have said that human-induced climate change, combined with rapid urbanization, is contributing to more frequent and severe extreme weather events across South Asia. Heavier rainfall over shorter periods has increased the likelihood of flash floods and related disasters in several parts of the region.
The latest fatalities follow another spell of severe monsoon weather last week, when at least 19 people were killed in flash floods and landslides in the northeastern state of Nagaland and in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Authorities in Assam said rescue and relief operations remain ongoing as emergency teams continue assessing damage, assisting displaced families and attempting to restore access to communities isolated by rising floodwaters.
