Relentless Rains Devastate Assam, Trigger Widespread Floods and Transport Disruptions

The situation worsened in Assam as it remained in the grip of relentless rainfall on Sunday, followed by widespread floods and landslides. The heavy downpour has turned deadly, with at least eight people losing their lives and more than 78,000 residents across 15 districts affected by rising waters and damaged infrastructure.

The Central Water Commission (CWC) sounded the alarm, reporting that the Brahmaputra River is now flowing above the danger level, particularly in Dibrugarh and Nematighat (Jorhat). Several other rivers—including the Dhaleswari, Rukni, Katakhal, Buridehing, Kushiyara, Dhansiri, and Kopili—have also overflowed, raising the threat of flooding in many vulnerable areas.

Transportation has come to a standstill in many parts of the state. Train services have been severely hit, with the Northeast Frontier Railway cancelling the Dullabcherra-Silchar passenger train after water submerged tracks in the Baraigram-Dullabcherra section. The Dullabcherra-Guwahati Express was forced to begin its journey from Baraigram instead. Road travel hasn't fared any better—key portions of National Highway-17 near Shingra Shalnibari in Kamrup district are underwater, cutting off access and stranding commuters.

Authorities say the crisis has been made worse by rainwater flowing in from the neighbouring state of Meghalaya, along with runoff from Arunachal Pradesh. The Regional Meteorological Centre placed three districts in Assam under a red alert and eight others on orange alert as of Saturday, warning of more heavy rain to come.

On the ground, emergency teams are working around the clock. Personnel from the NDRF, SDRF, police, and fire services have been deployed across the hardest-hit areas, carrying out rescue operations, distributing relief materials, and helping people reach safer ground.

Assam is just the glimpse of a much wider tragedy unfolding across the Northeast. Relentless rains have taken a heavy toll, claiming at least 26 lives across Assam, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, and Arunachal Pradesh. Behind those numbers are stories of families torn apart, communities shaken, and lives changed forever by the fury of the monsoon.