Key facts
- At least 10 people died in Assam, India, in the last 24 hours due to floods.
- The total death toll from floods in the region this week has reached 36.
- Over 650,000 people are affected across 11 districts in Assam.
- Heavy rainfall in neighboring Nagaland from July 18-20 caused the floods.
- Landslides and floods have also affected other northeastern states, including Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Tripura.
At least 10 people have died in India's northeastern state of Assam over the last 24 hours due to incessant rains and floods, bringing the total death toll for the week to 36, authorities said. The state's disaster management authority reported that more than 650,000 people have been affected across 11 districts.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described the scale of devastation as "unprecedented." The floods were primarily caused by very heavy rainfall in the neighboring state of Nagaland between July 18 and 20, resulting in unusually high river flows.
Across other northeastern states, relentless monsoon rains have also caused deaths and destruction. At least 30 people have died in total across the region over the weekend. Eight people were killed in Assam and nine in neighboring Arunachal Pradesh, many buried under debris. Three members of one family died in a mudslide in Guwahati, Assam, which also experienced widespread flooding, power outages, and school closures. Five people lost their lives in a landslide in Mizoram, six in Meghalaya, and two each in Nagaland and Tripura.
The Indian Army has launched a large-scale rescue operation in Manipur, evacuating hundreds and providing essential supplies. Rivers, including the Brahmaputra, have breached their banks, submerging large areas and cutting off access to communities. Floods and landslides are common during India's monsoon season, which runs from June to September, but scientists suggest climate change may be making these events more extreme.