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3rd June 2025 (13 Topics)

Assam Flood Crisis

Context

Assam faces its annual monsoon-triggered flood crisis, with lakhs of people affected across multiple districts due to river overflows, embankment failures, and climate-induced rainfall variability.

Assam’s Recurrent Flooding: A Convergence of Geography, Governance and Climate Risks

  • Geographical Context
    • Brahmaputra Floodplains: Assam lies in the floodplain of the Brahmaputra and Barak river systems, which overflow due to high rainfall and glacial melt.
    • Flat Topography and Low Elevation: The state’s predominantly flat terrain offers poor natural drainage, making it highly susceptible to inundation during monsoons.
    • Natural Drainage Constraints: The presence of oxbow lakes, wetlands, and siltation-prone channels further restricts water dispersal.
  • Climate Change and Hydrometeorological Shocks
    • Erratic Rainfall Patterns: Assam is increasingly witnessing sudden cloudbursts, localized extreme rainfall events, and out-of-season monsoon activity.
    • Intensified Rainfall Events: The Indian Meteorological Department notes a 15–20% increase in extreme rainfall days across Northeast India, attributed to rising surface temperatures.
    • Accelerated Himalayan Glacial Melt: This contributes additional discharge into the Brahmaputra basin, raising flood peaks during the monsoon.
  • Infrastructure Deficits and Riverbank Erosion
    • Weak Embankments and Outdated Designs: Over 500 embankments in Assam are decades old; many are prone to breaching under intense pressure.
    • Unscientific River Management: Lack of basin-wide coordination in managing upstream discharges and inadequate real-time flood forecasting systems hinder mitigation.
    • Erosion-Induced Displacement: The Brahmaputra erodes over 8,000 hectares annually, displacing an estimated 80,000 people, according to government data.
  • Anthropogenic Pressures
    • Deforestation in Catchment Areas: Mass deforestation in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam has reduced infiltration capacity, accelerating surface runoff into rivers.
    • Encroachments on Floodplains: Unregulated urbanization, especially around Guwahati and Majuli, has narrowed natural drainage channels and increased waterlogging.
    • Loss of Wetlands and Buffer Zones: Encroachment and pollution of wetlands like Deepor Beel reduce the region’s flood absorption capacity.
  • Humanitarian Impact
    • Scale of Displacement and Loss: In 2024, over 1.2 million people were impacted, with dozens of fatalities and destruction of crops across 25,000 hectares.
    • Health and Livelihood Crises: Waterborne diseases, disrupted school calendars, and livestock losses severely affect socio-economic recovery post-flood.
    • Inadequate Relief Infrastructure: Despite NDRF/SDRF presence, many relief camps lack sanitation, food supply chains, and medical aid, particularly in rural zones.
  • Gaps in Governance and Policy
    • Reactive Governance Model: Relief-centric responses overshadow long-term adaptation and risk reduction strategies.
    • Lack of Institutional Coordination: Disjointed efforts between the Brahmaputra Board, State Water Resources Department, and Disaster Management Authority impede systemic response.
    • Funding and Technical Bottlenecks: Delays in implementing World Bank-supported flood mitigation projects reveal administrative inertia and capacity constraints.

Way Forward:                                                                                                

  • River Basin Management Approach: Establish an empowered Northeast River Basin Authority for coordinated flood and erosion control.
  • Climate-Resilient Infrastructure: Upgrade embankments using geo-synthetic materials, and integrate early warning systems with satellite and Doppler radar data.
  • Catchment Area Reforestation: Launch afforestation drives in upstream catchments to reduce runoff.
  • Zoning Laws Enforcement: Implement strict land-use zoning along floodplains with punitive action against illegal encroachments.
  • Community-Led Flood Preparedness: Expand community-based disaster preparedness under the SDRF with training, decentralised planning, and resource support.

PYQ:

  1. Discuss the causes of frequent floods in major cities of India, including the factors responsible for urban flooding. Also suggest mitigation measures.   (2019)
  2. Discuss the challenges faced in managing flood disasters in hill states of Northeast India. Suggest appropriate mitigation strategies.    (2021)

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