Assam, which has a large network of major rivers, is prone to natural disasters such as floods and erosion that have a negative impact on the overall development of the empire. The Brahmaputra and Barak rivers, which have more than 50 tributaries of their rivers, cause catastrophic floods each year. The problem of floods and erosion of Assam differs in particular from other provinces so far in terms of extent and length of floods and the extent of erosion and may be the worst and most unique in the country. Regional flood area as assessed by RastriiaBarhAyog (RBA) is 31.05 Lakh Hectares compared to the total area of 78.523 Lakh Hectares i.e. almost. 39.58% of Assam’s total population.
This is about 9.40% of the world’s flood-prone population. Records show that the annual average of flooded areas is 9.31 Lakh Hectares. The national flood area accounts for about 10.2% of the country’s total, but Assam’s flood area is 39.58% of the region. It means that Assam’s flood area is four times larger than the national flood symbol.
During the post-independence period, Assam experienced severe floods in 1954, 1962, 1972, 1977, 1984, 1988, 1998, 2002, 2004 and 2012. Almost every year three to four floods destroy the floodwaters. The average annual loss due to floods in Assam is Rs. 200.00 Crores and especially in 1998, the losses incurred were approximately Rs. 500.00 Crores and in 2004 it was almost Rs. 771.00 Crosses.
The regional flood problem is exacerbated by floods flowing from neighboring provinces such as Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. In 2004 and 2014 the southern bank of the Brahmaputra in lower Assam, experienced catastrophic floods due to cloud eruptions in the Meghalaya catchment area. In August, 2011, a landslide caused by a landslide in the Arunachal Pradesh catchment river Gainadi and Jiadhal also experienced severe flooding. The floods caused extensive damage in many areas, including the loss of human lives.
River Bank Erosion Problem for villagers
Another major problem facing the Assam region is the erosion of the banks of the Brahmaputra, Barak and its tributaries. Damage caused by soil erosion reaches several hundred crores every year. River bank erosion has been a major problem since the last 60 years as more than 4.27 Lakh Hectares land had already eroded the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries since 1950, which is 7.40 percent of the region. As estimated, the annual loss of land is almost 8000 Ha. The width of the Brahmaputra River has risen to 15.00 Km in some areas due to the erosion of banks.
Extreme levels of rainstorm have caused severe floods in Assam, affecting nearly 2.6 million residents and more than 2,400 villages affected as the Brahmaputra river continues to rise. According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), more than 10,000 homes have been destroyed and so far 89 people have lost their lives. Assam floods damaged poles, houses, forests, roads, bridges, etc. across the province. Currently, the flood situation is critical as many rivers flow at a more dangerous level than the danger signal. The displaced persons have taken refuge in relief camps set up in 21 districts.
This year’s floods, one of the worst ever experienced by the province, come at a time when India is facing the Covid-19 epidemic. With more than 1.2 million cases confirmed in the country, the virus continues to spread rapidly. In the province of Assam, it infected more than 28,000 people and claimed 66 lives.
The Interim Ministerial Task Team (IMCT) visited flood-affected areas in Cachar and Darrang districts during the day to assess the damage. Currently, 799 villages are underwater and 35,384.12 hectares of damaged plantations. Significant erosion has been reported from Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Nalbari, Sivasagar, South Salmara, Tinsukia and Udalguri provinces.
