Guwahati: The flood crisis in Assam has left behind heartbreaking stories of loss, with one entire village disappearing within an hour after a river changed its course. As the state begins the long process of recovery, the official death toll has risen to 78, while more than three lakh people continue to face the effects of one of the worst monsoon disasters of the year.
The village of Hiloni Nepali Khuti in Assam's Sivasagar district has become a symbol of the destruction caused by the floods. Home to nearly 200 Gorkha families, the village was swept away after the Dikhow River suddenly changed its course. Residents said the land began collapsing rapidly, giving them only a short time to escape with their lives. Within about an hour, houses, farmland, roads and livestock had vanished into the river, leaving families with nothing but the clothes they were wearing.
Many residents said they had lived in the village for generations and never imagined such a disaster could happen so quickly. Several people lost important documents, household belongings and their only source of income. Families are now staying in temporary shelters or with relatives while waiting for help from the government.
According to the latest figures released by the Assam government, floods continue to affect more than three lakh people across seven districts. Although floodwaters have started receding in many areas, officials say the situation remains serious because thousands of damaged homes are no longer safe to live in. Roads have been washed away, drinking water supplies have been disrupted and thick layers of mud cover many villages.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the state has now entered a difficult rehabilitation phase. While the immediate rescue operations have largely been completed, the focus has shifted to restoring roads, repairing damaged public infrastructure and helping displaced families rebuild their lives. Authorities are also working to restore electricity, drinking water and other essential services in the affected regions.
During the peak of the flooding earlier this month, the disaster affected around seven lakh people across Assam. Hundreds of villages were submerged and thousands of families had to leave their homes. Government relief camps provided shelter, food and medical assistance to many of those displaced. As floodwaters have gradually receded, some families have started returning home, but many have found their houses damaged beyond repair.
Rescue and relief operations have involved state disaster response teams, the National Disaster Response Force, local police and volunteers. Boats were used to rescue stranded residents from flooded villages, while helicopters delivered food and emergency supplies to isolated communities cut off by rising waters. Relief workers continue to distribute food, clean drinking water, medicines and other essential items to those still living in temporary shelters.
Apart from flooding, riverbank erosion has emerged as one of the biggest challenges. Experts say rivers such as the Brahmaputra and its tributaries frequently change course during the monsoon season, eating away at riverbanks and destroying entire settlements. Unlike ordinary floods, erosion permanently removes land, making it impossible for many families to return to their original homes.
The destruction of Hiloni Nepali Khuti has once again highlighted the growing threat of erosion in Assam. Residents have appealed to the government for permanent rehabilitation, saying they have lost not only their homes but also the land on which they depended for farming and their livelihoods.
Weather experts say heavy monsoon rainfall across the northeastern region and the catchment areas of the Brahmaputra river system has contributed to the severe flooding this year. Scientists have also warned that climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme rainfall events, making floods more intense and unpredictable across South Asia.
As Assam slowly recovers, officials say the biggest challenge now is helping affected families rebuild their homes and restore their livelihoods. For the people of Hiloni Nepali Khuti and many other flood hit communities, the road to recovery is expected to take months, if not years, as they begin life again after losing almost everything to the river.