Why does Assam flood every year? It's not just the rain, expert says

Every year, Assam faces devastating floods that submerge villages, cut off roads, and erode riverbanks, leaving countless families to rebuild their lives anew. This year’s deluge has largely subsided, except for Dhemaji district, which continues to grapple with the aftermath. According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), nearly 16,000 people have been affected in 69 villages across four revenue circles in Dhemaji. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma recently informed Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts, expressing gratitude for the latter’s assurance of support from the central government. The recurring nature of these floods has sparked public frustration and raised pressing questions: Why does Assam flood so frequently, and why have solutions remained elusive? These concerns were highlighted during recent protests, including a symbolic act by Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi, who appeared in a life jacket during the Assam Assembly's Budget Session. His gesture underscored the severity of the flooding in Guwahati and his constituency, Sivasagar, where even brief rains lead to severe disruptions. Gogoi criticized the government for not fulfilling its 2016 commitment to resolve Guwahati’s flooding issues. He warned that his protest marked the start of sustained pressure on authorities to implement tangible measures against the “artificial flood” crisis affecting both Guwahati and Sivasagar. On the same day, members of the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) staged three-hour demonstrations across district headquarters, urging the central government to recognize Assam’s recurring flood and erosion crisis as a national disaster. Geographically, Assam lies within the floodplain of the Brahmaputra, one of the world’s largest rivers known for carrying massive amounts of sediment. Originating from the Tibetan Plateau, the river traverses through Arunachal Pradesh and Assam before joining numerous tributaries and ultimately emptying into the Bay of Bengal. Each monsoon season brings torrential rains, melting snow from the Himalayas, and contributions from over 50 tributaries, significantly increasing the volume of water flowing downstream. However, experts argue that rainfall alone does not fully explain the frequency of floods. According to the Rashtriya Barh Ayog, nearly 40% of Assam is prone to flooding, almost four times the national average. Floods have consistently impacted the region since the 1970s, with particularly severe episodes recorded in 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2024. Recently, floodwaters affected a district in Assam, impacting 15 villages and 3,917 individuals within just 24 hours, underscoring the rapid onset and intensity of such events. Professor Dhrubajyoti Sahariah, a geography expert and floodplain researcher at Gauhati University, emphasized that the Brahmaputra’s high sediment load exacerbates the flood risk. Sediment accumulation alters river channels, increases flow velocity, and reduces the capacity of existing waterways, leading to frequent overflow. Additionally, human activities such as deforestation, unregulated construction along riverbanks, and inadequate drainage systems contribute to worsening conditions. Efforts to mitigate the impact of floods include infrastructure projects aimed at improving drainage and constructing embankments. However, these initiatives often fall short due to insufficient funding, bureaucratic delays, and lack of coordination among different agencies. Local communities, meanwhile, bear the brunt of the consequences, enduring repeated displacement and loss of livelihoods. As the monsoon season approaches each year, the challenge remains how to balance immediate relief efforts with long-term strategies to address the root causes of Assam’s flooding. With continued advocacy from activists and pressure on policymakers, the hope is that comprehensive solutions can be developed to safeguard the region from its perennial struggle with water.