Environment
Archived — This article has been archived. The information may be outdated.
Why three untouched Assam districts flooded this year
The Hindu··27 Jul
Charaideo, Jorhat and Sivasagar, historically among Assam's least flood-affected districts, accounted for over 94 percent of the 7.21 lakh people hit on July 23, the worst floods in 60 years for eastern Assam. Extreme rainfall in Nagaland's border districts between July 18 and 20 triggered downstream runoff into these three districts, last flooded in 1950.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Residents of historically low-risk areas elsewhere in India may want to reassess their own flood preparedness now.
- Anyone tracking climate patterns gets a concrete example of how rainfall extremes are shifting away from expected zones.
- The Nagaland dam's role in easing flooding shows how neighbouring infrastructure can directly affect Assam's outcomes.
What's Happening
- Charaideo, Jorhat and Sivasagar accounted for over 94 percent of the 7.21 lakh people hit by floods on July 23.
- Officials called it the worst flooding in over 60 years for these historically flood-free eastern Assam districts.
- Extreme rainfall in Nagaland's border districts between July 18 and 20 triggered the downstream flooding.
When a 'Safe' District Floods for the First Time
- The Assam Chief Minister said the affected areas received 435 to 490 percent more rainfall than normal.
- Residents say the last major flood in these districts occurred in 1950, after a major earthquake.
- Nagaland's Doyang dam absorbed and gradually released flood water, easing the impact on Assam's Golaghat district.
all-newstop-stories
