Monsoon rains have been relentlessly battering the northeastern Indian state of Assam for several days, resulting in floods that claimed the lives of over 50 people, according to local media reports.
Assam officials reported that the death toll from the floods had reached 52 as of the previous afternoon. They noted that over 2.1 million people across 29 of the state’s 35 regions suffer flood damage.
Several rivers in the state, including the Brahmaputra River, continue to rise beyond dangerous levels. Assam’s disaster authorities reported that 3,208 villages are submerged, and approximately 140,000 acres (around 570 square kilometers) of farmland have been flooded.
Authorities have set up 247 temporary shelters in the affected areas, accommodating about 760,000 residents and distributing essential supplies.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a flood warning for Assam and three neighboring states earlier this week. In northern India, the monsoon season typically begins at the end of June and lasts three months.
Local media reported that this year’s damage is more severe, while Assam experiences flood damage every monsoon season.
This flood is the third to occur in Assam in less than two months. Followed by Cyclone Yaas, which struck Bangladesh and West Bengal, India, on May 26th. Another flood hit last month’s end after more than a week of heavy rains.
