Rivers are above the danger mark in at least 13 locations across the state of Assam in India. The Kopili River has reached record levels. Flooding has now affected nearly 5 million people across 32 districts and forced over 200,000 to evacuate their homes. Over 80 people have died in floods and landslides in the state since May.

The current spate of flooding began in mid-June. As of 20 June, Assam state disaster officials report flooding has impacted 4,772,140 people in 5,424 villages across 32 districts. Over 1 million of those affected are in Barpeta District. Nagaon and Darrang districts each have around 450,000 residents affected.

Disaster authorities have set up 810 relief camps providing temporary accommodation and 615 relief distribution centres providing food and other relief supplies. As of 20 June, 231,819 people had moved from their homes to relief camps, including 63,000 people in Barpeta.

As many as 45 people have died as a result of flooding or landslides in the state since 14 June. Thirty-eight people died in the May floods. At least 7 people have been reported missing in the last 24 hours.

India’s National Disaster Response Force says teams have helped evacuate or rescue 110,000 people. In the last hours emergency teams have been operating in Silchar and surrounding areas of Cachar district after major flooding occurred from the overflowing Barak River. As of 21 June 3,000 people had been rescued in the city.

Flood rescue in Silchar Assam, India, June 2022 – ASDMA

India’s Central Water Commission (CWC) said the Barak River at Fulertal, around 25 km (15 miles) east of Silchar, stood at 26.35 metres, which is 0.04 metres below its highest recorded level.

Meanwhile in Nagaon District, the Kopili River has exceeded record levels. As of 20 June, the Kopili river at Kampur in Nagaon stood at 62.09 metres, beating the previous record high of 61.79 metres set in July 2004. Danger level here is 60.5 metres.

According to figures from CWC, rivers on the state are above the danger mark in at least 11 other locations: the Beki river in Barbeta; the
Brahmaputra in Kamrup, Sontipur, Dhubri, Goalpara and Jorhat; the Kushiyara in Karimganj; the Pagladiya river in Nalbari district; the Puthimari in Kamrup; the Katakhal in Hailakandi and the Kopili in Morigaon.