The flood emergency across Assam intensified sharply on Sunday as the deluge spread through eastern and Upper Assam, inundating hundreds of villages, disrupting railway connectivity and prompting the Indian Army to launch Operation Jal Rahat to accelerate rescue operations.
According to official information, floods have affected 12 districts, 30 revenue circles and 580 villages across the state, impacting more than 170,000 people. More than 10,362 hectares of standing crops have been submerged, while urban flooding has also been reported from several parts of Kamrup Metropolitan district.
The worst-affected districts include Sivasagar, Charaideo and Jorhat, where relentless rainfall has submerged vast stretches of land, breached at least two embankments and cut off several villages from the rest of the region. In multiple locations, floodwaters damaged railway tracks, disrupting train services and affecting connectivity across Upper Assam.
In Guwahati, floodwater entered residential buildings after hours of incessant rainfall, damaging household belongings including beds, sofas, kitchen appliances and other essential items. Many residents shifted their vehicles to safer locations as parking areas and internal roads remained submerged under water.
The flooding brought daily life to a standstill, leaving several families unable to cook since Sunday night because floodwater had entered their kitchens. Since early Monday morning, residents have been using buckets and water pumps to remove floodwater from their homes while attempting to salvage their damaged belongings.
A resident of Guwahati said the area faces similar conditions every monsoon whenever continuous rainfall occurs. The resident said floodwater enters homes, creating severe difficulties for children, elderly family members and pets. The resident added that the family was unable to prepare food because the kitchen remained flooded and that everyone had been removing water from the house since dawn. According to the resident, much of the floodwater flows from the Meghalaya hills, and the situation becomes more severe whenever the Basistha River swells.
As the flood situation deteriorated, the Indian Army launched Operation Jal Rahat by deploying multiple rescue columns alongside the Assam Rifles to conduct search and rescue operations in the affected districts. The National Disaster Response Force also intensified its response by deploying 24 boats in Sivasagar and Charaideo. Additionally, two more rescue teams equipped with 10 boats were deployed to evacuate stranded residents from flood-affected areas.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the safety of residents remains the government's highest priority and affirmed that the administration is monitoring the evolving flood situation around the clock.
The Chief Minister directed Cabinet Ministers Ajanta Neog, Bimal Bora, Keshab Mahanta and Sushanta Borgohain to immediately visit the flood-hit districts to supervise rescue and relief operations and ensure timely assistance reaches every affected family. Relief materials are being rushed to vulnerable locations while rescue teams continue evacuating marooned residents.
Officials said the coming hours will be critical as heavy rainfall continues across the Brahmaputra basin. Rescue agencies remain on high alert, with additional personnel and resources ready for deployment if floodwaters continue to rise.
The rapidly worsening flood emergency has emerged as one of Assam's most significant monsoon challenges, with widespread damage to homes, agriculture, transport infrastructure and public life. As relentless rainfall persists and water levels continue to rise, rescue and relief agencies remain engaged in an extensive operation to protect lives, restore connectivity and provide immediate assistance to thousands of affected families.
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