Assam floods recede, but survivors in Sivasagar face a long road to recovery

Even as floodwaters gradually retreat across parts of Assam, the humanitarian crisis is far from over. In several flood-ravaged villages, the receding waters have exposed the scale of devastation left behind, forcing thousands of families to begin the difficult task of rebuilding their lives amid damaged homes, destroyed belongings and uncertainty over the future.

One such village is Bihubor Nepali Khuti in Assam's Sivasagar district, where hundreds of flood-affected residents continue to grapple with the aftermath of one of the worst floods they say they have ever witnessed.

For many families in the village, the flood washed away houses and destroyed household belongings accumulated over years. While a section of residents has started returning to their homes, they have found little relief. Most houses remain covered in thick layers of sludge, with damaged furniture, soaked documents and unusable household items scattered inside.

Residents said the destruction was unlike anything they had experienced before. Many are now engaged in cleaning their homes and salvaging whatever they can, even as concerns remain over sanitation, drinking water and the restoration of normal life.

Meanwhile, Assam's flood death toll rose to 82 after two more fatalities were reported on July 31, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA). One death was reported from the Nazira revenue circle in Sivasagar district, while the other occurred in Sonari in Charaideo district. No person was reported missing, the official bulletin stated.

Although the flood situation has shown signs of improvement, five districts—Sivasagar, Charaideo, Golaghat, Jorhat and Nagaon—continue to remain affected. Floodwaters still impact 17 revenue circles and 379 villages across the state.

The number of people affected has declined to 1,92,799 from more than two lakh recorded a day earlier, indicating a gradual improvement in the situation. Charaideo remains the worst-affected district with 77,456 people impacted, followed by Sivasagar with 63,492 and Jorhat with 34,067.

Relief operations continue across the affected districts, with authorities operating 54 relief camps that are sheltering 12,994 displaced people. An additional 26 relief distribution centres are providing assistance to 5,384 people.

Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and other agencies remain engaged in relief and rescue operations as rehabilitation efforts gather pace.

The floods have also inflicted significant damage on agriculture and public infrastructure. Around 15,430 hectares of crop area continue to remain submerged, while roads, houses and other public infrastructure have suffered extensive damage.

As Assam moves beyond the peak of the flood emergency, villages such as Bihubor Nepali Khuti underscore the next phase of the disaster—one defined not by rising waters but by the enormous challenge of restoring homes, livelihoods and normalcy for thousands of families whose lives have been upended by the deluge