Devastating Floods in Assam: Survival Stories from Sivasagar

The recent floods in Assam have left a trail of devastation, particularly in Sivasagar, where residents faced harrowing survival challenges. As the Dikhow river surged, many families found themselves stranded on rooftops and trees, waiting for rescue. This article recounts the gripping stories of individuals like Amanullah Ahmed and Lily Begum, who battled the rising waters to save their loved ones. With reports of fatalities and extensive damage, the situation remains dire as rescue operations continue. Discover the resilience of the affected communities and the ongoing efforts to provide aid amidst this natural calamity.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 31, 2026, 09:29 IST

Survival Amidst the Floods

In flood-ravaged Sivasagar, every journey became a struggle for survival. (Photo:PTI)

SONTOK/BIHUBAR (Nazira), July 31: On the morning of July 19, the Dikhow river appeared calm, hiding the chaos it would soon unleash. By midday, the floodwaters had inundated nearby villages, forcing many residents to seek refuge on rooftops, trees, and electric poles, where they remained stranded for hours without food or water, awaiting rescue.

Amanullah Ahmed, a 45-year-old from Nepali Khuti village, located approximately 37 km from Sivasagar town, began his day like any other during the monsoon season. When he learned that the river's water level was rising, he went to the riverbank to assess the situation, a common practice among villagers during floods.

The villagers had never witnessed such a violent surge from the river, which originates from the nearby Naga hills.

“Around noon, we usually check how many steps along the bank remain above water. This time, the water rose so rapidly that it quickly engulfed the entire village,” Ahmed recounted.

He hurried home to evacuate his wife and three children to higher ground, but when he returned to save his goats, the current had become too strong.

“The goats were swept away. I had to swim nearly 150 meters before I could climb onto a tree to save myself,” he shared.

From his treetop perch, Ahmed eventually reached a raised platform at a petrol depot along the main road, where he remained stranded until around 11 am the next day.

“I saw several people taking shelter on nearby electric transformers. We stayed there until rescuers arrived the following morning. Thankfully, my family managed to reach Bihubar, where the flooding was less severe,” he added.

Nepali Khuti was one of the hardest-hit areas, with around 61 residents taking refuge on the rooftop of Lakshmi Sarma’s house, the only RCC structure in the village, from the afternoon of July 19 until late the next morning, surviving without food or water.

“Seven people, including a three-year-old child and three women, have died in the village. Two more bodies were recovered today,” Sarma reported.

The village, which once boasted over 100 households, has been nearly obliterated, with only a few homes still standing, including Sarma’s.

In Sontok, Lily Begum and her family spent the night on a concrete slab inside their home as floodwaters rose to nearly six meters.

“As water flooded our house, we initially tried to save our belongings. But the water rose so quickly that we had no choice but to save ourselves. We climbed onto the slab and stayed there until the next day,” Begum recounted after being rescued and moved to a nearby mosque.

“Even when we came down, the water was still waist-deep. The rescuers had to carry us out,” she added.

Mustak Rahman, an APDCL sahayak in the Bihubar area, noted that many survivors endured hours in floodwaters before help arrived.

“Some held on for hours in waist-deep water, clinging to electric poles or anything they could find to avoid being swept away,” Rahman recalled.

Sivasagar District Commissioner Mridul Yadav mentioned that rescue teams encountered numerous remarkable survival stories during their operations.

“In Amguri, one man spent nearly 12 hours atop an electric pole before being rescued. At Jhanji, another man climbed a tree with his goat. He eventually had to let the animal go after a few hours, but he survived,” Yadav shared.

The Indian Air Force also conducted helicopter rescue missions in Sontok, airlifting four individuals.

“Initially, they refused evacuation, believing the water would not rise much further. By the next day, they realized the seriousness of the situation and agreed to be airlifted,” the District Commissioner explained.

According to Charaideo Police, from July 19 to July 23, a total of 3,006 individuals were rescued by the SDRF and other agencies in that district. Among those rescued were 302 children, 1,371 women, and 15 infants, along with several stranded animals.

Sivasagar has reported 38 fatalities due to the floods. The district, the most severely affected in the state, has seen 21,725 individuals evacuated or rescued, while nearly 574,000 residents have been impacted by this disaster.

At least 80 people have lost their lives, with many still reported missing in the floods that have affected upper Assam districts. Numerous areas in Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat, and others remain submerged.