Unprecedented floods triggered by incessant rainfall in the Nagaland hills and overflowing rivers such as the Dikhow, Disang and others have devastated parts of Upper Assam that rarely witness such severe flooding. Sivasagar has emerged as the worst-hit district, followed by neighbouring Jorhat and Charaideo.
Official figures have placed the statewide death toll in the current wave to be more than 41, while between 5.6 lakh to 11 lakh people have been affected across multiple districts. Homes, roads, railway tracks, tea estates and vast stretches of farmland remain submerged or buried under thick layers of silt. Electricity has been disrupted for days in many areas, and thousands continue to stay in relief camps or on higher ground even as floodwaters begin to recede in some places.
State officials have described the disaster in Sivasagar, Charaideo and Jorhat as the worst in decades for these districts. On July 21 alone, 21 people lost their lives, including 13 in Sivasagar, making it one of the highest single-day death tolls recorded during the current floods. Army, NDRF and SDRF teams, supported by helicopters, have been carrying out rescue and relief operations. National highways, including stretches of the Jorhat-Sivasagar road near Titabor, remain waterlogged in places, disrupting transport.
In Sivasagar’s Bhatiapar area, resident Moloya Gogoi has become both a flood victim and a volunteer. Speaking to The Sunday Guardian, she described the difficult conditions and the challenges in relief distribution.
“Actually, if I have to speak about the government’s role, the condition of the people is extremely bad,” Gogoi said. “You must have seen the condition of the roads and infrastructure in the news. From my side, I can say that we are providing relief, and we are still taking more supplies there. But in my opinion, there is no point in giving people things like lentils, potatoes and onions. Where will they cook if they don’t even have utensils? They need ready-to-eat food. If someone wants to help, they should provide such items.”
Gogoi said she and her group are working independently rather than through any NGO. They have been preparing and distributing khichdi, biscuits and bottled drinking water after residents reported severe shortages of clean water.
“That’s exactly what we have been doing. We are preparing khichdi, distributing biscuits, and today we also brought bottled drinking water because many people said they couldn’t get clean drinking water. We are giving biscuits, water, and whatever else we can manage.”
Despite her own family being affected, Gogoi continues to help others in Chariali, Morishali Ghat and nearby areas.
“Yes, yes. We have been affected too. Our own house may also face problems today, but despite that, we are still helping others.” She said many residents remain in relief camps because returning home is still not possible.
“Although the water has receded in some places, thick layers of silt have been left behind, so people still cannot return to their homes. Electricity has also been cut off for many days. The floodwater has caused a lot of hardship.”
The situation is similar in Jorhat, where 177 of the district’s nearly 600 villages have been affected. Officials said around 19 relief camps are sheltering nearly 5,800 people, while tens of thousands more have taken refuge on higher ground. Flash floods submerged parts of NH-715, badly affecting Teok, Kakojan and Titabor. Four villages in the Alengmora area went under water, while Sonari Gaon, Baliati, Garmora, Gualgaon, Chengeli Ati, Elengmora, Nam Deuri and several other areas continue to struggle with standing water and thick silt.
From Alengmora village, 42-year-old homemaker and mother of two Anjali Saikia speaking to The Sunday Guardian described how her family was forced to leave their home after floodwaters rose rapidly following heavy rainfall upstream. “The water came so fast. We could only take a few clothes and the children. Everything else is under mud and water now,” she said from a relief camp set up by the district administration. “Even after the water went down a little, the house is filled with thick silt. How can we go back? There is no electricity for almost a week. The children are scared, and we are worried about disease.”
Saikia, whose family depends on a small plot for vegetable and paddy cultivation, said the destruction of crops and household belongings has been devastating. Like Gogoi, she stressed that ready-to-eat food is more useful than raw ration items for families who have lost their cooking utensils and fuel. “People are giving dal and rice, but many of us have lost our pots and stoves. Ready food, clean water and medicines are what we need most right now. The camps have some supplies, but it is not enough for everyone, and the nights are difficult.” She also said that while local officials and volunteers have been trying to reach isolated areas, damaged roads and embankments have slowed relief efforts. “We are grateful for the boats and the food that has come, but many families are still waiting. Our cattle also suffered. This flood is different from the ones we have seen before. These areas do not usually get hit so badly.”
Across Sivasagar and Jorhat, the situation remains largely the same. Sudden flooding has hit towns and villages that are not used to such extreme conditions. Thick layers of silt continue to prevent families from returning home, prolonged power cuts have added to the hardship, and many residents say some relief materials do not match their immediate needs. In Sivasagar, several urban wards and rural areas remain covered in water or mud, while railway infrastructure near Simaluguri has also been damaged. Tea estates have been submerged, increasing the economic burden in a region heavily dependent on agriculture and plantations. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and local leaders have visited the affected areas. The state government has released funds and is coordinating relief and rescue operations through multiple agencies. However, residents like Moloya Gogoi and Anjali Saikia say recovery will take a long time. Silt-filled homes, damaged infrastructure and disrupted livelihoods mean that the hardship continues even as water levels gradually fall.
