Deluge in Assam: Factors that led to unprecedented flooding in 2 districts

A resident of Sonari, the headquarters of Assam’s Charaideo district, recounted the terrifying experience on July 18 when floodwaters surged into their ground-floor home shortly after dinner. Despite heavy rains being common in the district, a flooded home was an entirely new and frightening event for the family.

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The waters, which rose to the over five feet, slowly subsided by Tuesday evening. But nearly 50% of the things inside including beds, mattresses, refrigerator were damaged

The rising water levels forced the family to evacuate to their rented first floor, managing to salvage only essential belongings. By Tuesday evening, the waters, which had reached over five feet high, began to recede. However, the damage was extensive, with approximately 50% of their possessions, including beds, mattresses, and a refrigerator, ruined. The family's two motorcycles and a car were also damaged by the floodwaters and silt.

"The last time our area witnessed some flooding was in 2018. But it was on a much smaller scale and the flood waters didn’t enter our homes. The kind of devastation we saw this time was something else," the resident shared, noting that only a few houses with higher ground levels escaped the inundation. This experience is mirrored by most residents in Charaideo and Sibsagar, the two districts that bore the brunt of this year's unprecedented flooding.

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The last time our area witnessed some flooding was in 2018. But it was on a much smaller scale and the flood waters didn’t enter our homes. The kind of devastation we saw this time was something else.

Assam typically experiences floods during the monsoon season, with 25 of the state's 35 districts affected this year. However, Sibsagar and Charaideo, areas usually spared the worst, suffered significantly in this latest event. As of Saturday, 66 people had died across the state due to floods, with 48 fatalities recorded in Sibsagar and Charaideo. Nearly 400 villages and around 500,000 people in these two districts remain affected, and close to 15,000 have sought refuge in relief camps.

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While Nagaland as a whole received 181% excess rainfall in those three days, the Mokokchung district in the state received 493% more rain that normal during that period. There was excess rainfall in Wokha and Mon districts as well in those days.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated on Friday that heavy rainfall in Nagaland between July 18 and 20, which saw 85 mm of rain against a normal of 30.3 mm (an excess of 181%), caused a sudden rise in water levels in the neighboring Assam districts. Mokokchung district in Nagaland received an extraordinary 493% more rain than normal during that period, with Wokha and Mon districts also experiencing excess rainfall. Charaideo district in Assam recorded 436% more rain than normal, while Sibsagar district received 104% more. "So, the excess volume of water flowing from Nagaland coupled with above average rainfall in the two Assam districts led to many areas in Sibsagar and Charaideo districts getting flooded," Sarma explained.

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So, the excess volume of water flowing from Nagaland coupled with above average rainfall in the two Assam districts led to many areas in Sibsagar and Charaideo districts getting flooded