Flash Floods Hit Assam And Arunachal: 22,000 People Affected, 96 Villages Submerged, Rail Bridge Collapses

Heavy rains continued to wreak havoc across Assam and Arunachal Pradesh on Monday, with flash floods affecting over 22,000 people, damaging homes, farmland and infrastructure, and disrupting railway connectivity. Authorities are monitoring the worsening situation as swollen rivers, landslides and overflowing streams continue to threaten several districts in both northeastern states.

Assam Sees Widespread Flooding Across Six Districts

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said 22,124 people have been affected by floods in Dhemaji, Nalbari, Dibrugarh, Chirang, Lakhimpur and Kokrajhar districts. Among them, Dhemaji remains the worst-hit, accounting for 15,483 affected residents.

Floodwaters have submerged 96 villages while around 1,690 hectares of agricultural land have gone underwater. The disaster has also impacted livestock, with 48,199 animals reported to be affected as water levels continue to rise across the state.

On Monday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the flood situation during a phone conversation with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma following the first major spell of flash floods this monsoon.

Bridge Collapse Halts Train Movement In Dhemaji

The heavy rainfall also led to the collapse of a portion of a railway bridge between Archipathar and Simen Chapari stations in Dhemaji district, forcing the suspension of train services on the route until further notice.

In a statement, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) said, "This bridge, constructed in 1965, and later converted to broad gauge, was in good and safe condition, but due to washing away of a large portion of the river bank during the heavy rains, one of its piers became unstable."

Railway officials clarified that no train was passing over the bridge at the time of the incident and no injuries were reported. Train operations on the branch line had already been stopped because of the swollen river.

Arunachal Remains On High Alert After Cloudburst

The flood situation in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh has remained critical following the recent cloudburst that triggered flash floods and landslides in several areas. The weather department has warned of thunderstorms, lightning and heavy rainfall across the state until July 1, raising concerns over fresh flooding and landslides.

Officials said three people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents, while search and rescue operations are still underway in affected locations.

The overflowing Leku River has inundated several villages, with residents saying they had never witnessed the river entering populated areas on such a large scale. Floodwaters have also spread to Kedichuk village in Assam's Jonai subdivision.

Families Struggle After Losing Homes And Belongings

Several displaced families are now staying in temporary relief camps after floodwaters destroyed homes and swept away their possessions.

Among them is Rumi Rabha, a 46-year-old employee of the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO), whose official residence near Possa village was washed away.

Speaking to ANI, she said, "It was raining very heavily, non-stop. Then the boundary wall collapsed, and the water rushed right inside. We managed to get out somehow, but the house was completely swept away. Nothing is left. We are just scraping by on whatever food people give us; that's how we're living. We don't know what will happen later. We had so many belongings, gold and everything. All our possessions were right here in the house. We barely managed to escape, but we couldn't save a thing."

Residents across the affected areas have narrated similar experiences of fleeing rising waters with little time to save their belongings. Relief agencies continue to provide food and temporary shelter as authorities remain on alert for further rainfall.