Assam floods: Cattle deaths leave Sivasagar’s Nepali Khuti residents staring at livelihood crisis

A severe livelihood crisis is looming over the Nepali Khuti area of Assam’s Sivasagar district after devastating floods swept away cattle, damaged homes and caused extensive destruction to local infrastructure.

Residents said the July 19 floods rose with alarming speed, leaving families with little time to evacuate or save their belongings. For many households dependent on dairy farming, the loss of cattle has also wiped out their primary source of income.

Kali Pradhan, a resident of the area, recalled how floodwaters rapidly inundated the locality.

“On July 19, water started entering the area at around 6 am. We went to check, and by 11 am, the water had risen completely. We could not get out and could not even retrieve our belongings,” she said.

Pradhan said her family moved the children to higher ground before four family members were rescued later in the evening.

“Only the tin roof of our house is visible now. We could not save any household items. All our cows are gone. We have nothing left; everything has been destroyed,” she added.

Another resident, Rajen Pradhan, said the scale of the flooding was unprecedented for the community living near the Dikhow river.

“Our home is located close to the Dikhow river. The devastating flood that came on July 19 was unlike anything I had seen in my lifetime,” he said.

The floods washed away the family’s cattle, dealing a major blow to their livelihood.

“Selling cow’s milk is our only source of income. The flood has destroyed everything, and we do not know how we will rebuild our lives,” Rajen said, describing the uncertainty faced by affected families.

With livestock lost, homes damaged and household possessions washed away, several families in Nepali Khuti are now struggling to recover from the disaster. Residents said immediate relief, livestock support and rehabilitation assistance would be crucial to help them restore their livelihoods and rebuild their homes.