Severe flooding in Assam has affected over 721,000 people and claimed 47 lives as of Thursday,July 23, 2026. Officials call it a disaster unlike anything seen before, hitting hardest in three districts—Sivasagar,Charaideo,and Jorhat—that usually escape such deluges.
Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) reports say six more died in just one day: four in Sivasagar,two in Charaideo. Floodwaters have swallowed 883 villages, pushing 24,124 people into 103 relief camps.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma blames the chaos on local heavy rains—436% above the norm—and cloudbursts in Nagaland. floods have ravaged livestock and caught residents off guard .
“Our teams are reaching as many affected families as possible with food,drinking water,and other essential supplies,” Sarma said. In worst-hit areas,more than 300,000 kilograms of rice and other relief materials have been delivered,with more on way.
Rescue operations intensify with help from Indian Air Force and National Disaster Response Force . Chief Minister stressed need for long-term recovery plans once the immediate crisis ends.
“We'll start talks with neighboring states to create better coordination against upstream cloudbursts and similar threats,” he added.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Keshab Mahanta urged people to stay away from swollen rivers . He warned that curiosity can be fatal, as some have drowned venturing too close.
“I spoke to many victims on my tour. They said some people never came back after going out to see the floods,” Mahanta said,representing Asom Gana Parishad from Kaliabor Assembly constituency.
Train services in Northeast Frontier Railway’s (NFR) Tinsukia Division halted due to flooding over tracks and nearby areas. NFR's chief spokesperson Kapinjal Kishore Sharma confirmed that the Dikhow River is overflowing, causing severe flooding in Simaluguri town,part of Sivasagar district.
Efforts to restore train services are ongoing, but floodwaters keep rising. Government keeps close watch,coordinating with agencies to ensure safety and well-being of those affected.
