Guwahati, June 1: The first wave of floods in Assam has turned deadly, claiming four lives and affecting over 58,000 people across 11 districts, as per the latest bulletin from the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA). Torrential rains and rising river levels have inundated 175 villages under 20 revenue circles, pushing large parts of the state into crisis.
Among the casualties, two deaths were reported in Morongi and Bokakhat in Golaghat district, while two more persons—Rajkumar Taid and Manoranjan Pawe alias Biren—lost their lives in Lakhimpur, the worst-hit district so far.
In Lakhimpur, chaos unfolded in the early hours of Saturday after the NEEPCO authorities released excess water from the Ranganadi dam project, triggering severe floods that submerged entire stretches of land. The floodwaters affected 41,685 people across 95 villages under the revenue circles of North Lakhimpur, Bihpuria, Nowboicha, and Narayanpur.
Massive breaches were reported at four locations along the Ranganadi dyke, allowing surging waters to sweep through rural settlements. The flood submerged around 1 km of the Pahumara-Silonimari Link Road, and in many places, water flowed above National Highway 15 at Pahumara-Majgaon, cutting off road connectivity.
In shocking scenes, entire houses were seen collapsing and being swept away by the floodwaters—a viral video from Lakhimpur shows a home being torn from its foundation and carried off, symbolizing the devastation. Livestock losses have also been significant, with several animals reported washed away.
With homes destroyed, many families have taken shelter on highways and highlands, desperately trying to save themselves and their belongings. SDRF teams, Assam Police, and the Forest Department have launched joint rescue operations since morning, pulling people out from remote and waterlogged areas.
Additional flooding has been reported in Nagar Gaon, where the dyke at Amtola broke, submerging villages and forcing hundreds more to evacuate. Relief efforts are underway, with 16 relief camps set up to house displaced residents across the state.
The flood has impacted Dhemaji, South Salmara, Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Darrang, Nagaon, Karbi Anglong, Kamrup, Biswanath, Tinsukia, and West Karbi Anglong. After Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh and Dhemaji have emerged as the next worst-affected in terms of population displacement and infrastructure damage.
The Brahmaputra in Dibrugarh has reached a critical level of 105.70 meters, nearly touching the danger mark, raising alarm for further inundation in downstream regions.
In urban areas like Guwahati, incessant rain has led to severe waterlogging, bringing traffic to a standstill and causing major disruptions in daily life. Residents in multiple localities have reported homes and shops flooded, with no relief in sight as the rain continues.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD), Guwahati, has forecast light to moderate rainfall over the next three hours across several districts, including Bajali, Baksa, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Cachar, Chirang, Darrang, Dhubri, Dima Hasao, Goalpara, Hailakandi, Kamrup, Kamrup Metro, Kokrajhar, Morigaon, Nalbari, South Salmara, Sribhumi, Tamulpur, and West Karbi Anglong.
