Assam, Kerala, and Jammu & Kashmir among the worst-hit regions as thousands are displaced and rescue operations continue amid severe monsoon rains.
NEW DELHI: More than 100 people have lost their lives across India since July as devastating monsoon rains triggered widespread floods and landslides, forcing thousands of residents to flee their homes, according to official figures released on Wednesday.
Authorities said the northeastern state of Assam remains the worst-affected region, where continuous rainfall has caused rivers to overflow, inundating towns and villages. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed that at least 87 people have died in the state during this year’s monsoon season.
The Sivasagar district has suffered the highest number of casualties, with 47 deaths reported as floodwaters continue to submerge large parts of the district. Rescue teams remain on the ground, while state authorities have appealed for public donations to support relief and rehabilitation efforts.
“The devastation here is unlike anything these areas have witnessed before,” Sarma said in a message posted on social media, adding that while damaged infrastructure can be rebuilt, the loss of lives cannot be replaced.
Images from the affected areas showed disaster response teams using inflatable boats and makeshift rafts to evacuate stranded residents to safer locations as floodwaters continued to rise.
In the southern state of Kerala, relentless rainfall over the past several days has claimed 15 lives, while seven people remain missing, according to state officials. Torrential rains triggered landslides in hilly areas and caused rivers to overflow, flooding nearby communities.
The Kerala government has established more than 300 relief camps, where over 10,000 displaced residents are currently taking shelter. Emergency responders continue search and rescue operations in several affected districts.
Meanwhile, India’s northern Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir has also experienced severe weather, with at least 31 people killed following multiple episodes of intense rainfall that triggered flash floods and landslides, according to local authorities.
Monsoon-related disasters are a recurring challenge across India, where seasonal rains are essential for agriculture but often cause widespread destruction. Scientists warn that climate change is making monsoon weather increasingly unpredictable, resulting in heavier rainfall, stronger storms, and more frequent flooding across South Asia.
Neighbouring Sri Lanka has also been affected by unusually heavy monsoon rains. According to the country’s Disaster Management Centre, at least eight people have died since Monday due to flash floods and mudslides.
The severe weather has displaced around 12,000 residents in Sri Lanka’s central region, where emergency shelters have been established for affected families.
Ironically, while parts of Sri Lanka are battling floods, the country’s eastern provinces are facing an intense drought. Authorities have been forced to transport drinking water to affected communities using tanker trucks.
Sri Lankan officials have linked the country’s extreme weather conditions to the El Niño climate pattern, which alters rainfall patterns by warming ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean.
As rescue and relief operations continue in both countries, authorities are urging residents in vulnerable areas to remain alert as forecasts indicate more heavy rainfall in the coming days.
