- Floods in Assam have affected 12 districts and over 1.7 lakh people, submerging 580 villages
- Heavy rains damaged rail tracks, disrupting services and isolating multiple villages in Upper Assam
- The Army launched Operation Jal Rahat with Assam Rifles and NDRF for rescue and relief operations
Heavy overnight rainfall triggered flash floods in several parts of Guwahati on Monday, with several low-lying areas submerged under water. Residents said the flooding was caused by runoff from the Meghalaya hills along with the rising water level of the Basistha River.
Assam's flood situation deteriorated sharply on Sunday, with the deluge sweeping across eastern and Upper Assam, inundating hundreds of villages, disrupting rail connectivity and forcing the Army to launch Operation Jal Rahat as rescue efforts intensified.
Floods in Assam have affected 12 districts, 30 revenue circles and 580 villages, impacting more than 1.7 lakh people. Over 10,362 hectares of standing crop have gone under water, while urban flooding has also been reported from several parts of Kamrup (Metro).
The worst-hit districts include Sivasagar, Charaideo and Jorhat, where relentless rainfall has submerged large stretches of land, breached at least two embankments and cut off several villages. In some places, floodwaters have damaged railway tracks, disrupting train services and affecting connectivity across Upper Assam.
In Guwahati, household items, including beds, sofas, kitchen appliances and other essentials, were damaged after floodwater entered homes following hours of incessant rain. Many residents shifted their vehicles to safer locations as parking areas and internal roads remained inundated.
The flooding disrupted normal life, with several families unable to cook since Sunday night because their kitchens were underwater. Since morning, residents have been using buckets and pumps to remove water from their houses while trying to salvage their belongings.
A Guwahati resident said, "We have been facing this every monsoon. Whenever there is continuous rain, water enters our homes. It becomes very difficult for children, elderly people and even pets. Our kitchen is flooded, so we couldn't prepare food this morning. Since dawn, the whole family has been busy removing water from the house. Most of the floodwater comes from the Meghalaya hills, and when the Basistha River swells, the situation becomes worse."
Rail services in Upper Assam have been severely affected after rising water levels in the Dikhow River caused waterlogging in the Simalguri railway yard. According to the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), train movement on the Simalguri-Namti Ali and Simalguri-Seleng Hat sections has been suspended by engineering officials due to safety concerns.
As a result, several trains have been cancelled, diverted, short-originated and short-terminated. Among the major services affected are the Dibrugarh-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, Dibrugarh-Kanyakumari Vivek Express, Dibrugarh-Chandigarh Express, Kamrup Express, Nagaland Express, Intercity Express, and several passenger and DEMU services. Two passenger special trains, the Lumding-Jorhat Town Passenger Special and the Ledo-Sivasagar Town Special, have also been affected.
NFR has advised passengers to check the latest train status before commencing their journey, as services will be restored only after water levels recede and the affected railway sections are declared safe for operation.
As the situation worsened, the Indian Army stepped in with Operation Jal Rahat, deploying multiple columns alongside the Assam Rifles to carry out search and rescue operations in the affected districts. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has also intensified operations, deploying 24 boats in Sivasagar and Charaideo, while two additional teams equipped with 10 boats have been pressed into service to evacuate stranded residents.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the safety of people remains the government's highest priority and that the administration is monitoring the situation round the clock.
The Chief Minister has directed Cabinet Ministers Ajanta Neog, Bimal Bora, Keshab Mahanta and Sushanta Borgohain to immediately reach 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 even as rescue teams continue evacuating marooned residents.
Officials said the next few hours will be crucial as heavy rainfall continues over the Brahmaputra basin. Rescue agencies remain on high alert, with additional forces ready to be deployed if floodwaters continue to rise.
