Brahmaputra floods

2012

The 2012 Brahmaputra floods were an unprecedented flood event along the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries due to significant monsoon rains in India, Bangladesh and Myanmar. 124 people were killed by the flooding and landslides, and about six million people were displaced. The worst hit area was the state of Assam in India. Flooding significantly affected Kaziranga National Park, where 540 animals died including 13 rhinos.^[1]

In September 2011, the Brahmaputra River flowed through braided channels, but a year later, the channels could not be detected in the swollen river. During the monsoon season (June–October), floods are a common occurrence in India. Occasionally, massive flooding causes huge losses to crops, life and property. Deforestation in the Brahmaputra watershed has resulted in increased siltation levels, flash floods, and soil erosion in critical downstream habitat, such as the Kaziranga National Park in middle Assam.^[2][3][4]

Helicopters were deployed to drop food supplies to nearly 10,000 people in six villages where highway access was cut off by the flooding, about 550km west of Gauhati, the capital of Assam.

2013

2013 Assam floods were floods in the Indian state of Assam which were triggered by heavy rainfall at the end of June in neighboring Arunachal Pradesh state through Brahmaputra river and its tributaries.^[5] These flood submerged 12 districts out of 27 in the state where more than 100,000 people affected.^[6][7] The flood also affected Kaziranga National Park and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary where many animals have moved on to higher ground to save themselves from the flood.^[8] The floods also affected some of the northern districts of Bangladesh where 100,000 people are suffering from a scarcity of food and pure drinking water.^[9]

2015

Assam flood in 2015

2015 Assam floods were floods in the Indian state of Assam which were triggered by heavy rainfall at the end of August in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh state through Brahmaputra river and its tributaries. The floods are reported to have caused the deaths of 42 people and numerous landslides, road blockages and affected 1.65 million people in 21 districts.^[12] Flooding affected 2,100 villages and destroyed standing crops across an area of 180,000 hectares (440,000 acres).^{[12][13][14][15]} In the Dhubri district alone, more than 400 villages are now almost impossible to reach making it difficult to send aid to the suffering civilians.^[16] However, this is not the first time the Assam state has experienced destructive flooding; the region is possibly India's most flood-prone state and has experienced at least 12 major floods since 1950.^[17] Although always prone to floods, the frequency of disastrous floods was increased in the area after the 1950 Assam-Tibet earthquake, also referred to as the "1950 Great Earthquake".^[17]

2016

The state of Assam within India

The 2016 Assam floods were caused by large rains over the Indian state of Assam in July 2016. The flooding had affected 1.8 million people, and flooded the Kaziranga National Park.^[18] As of 1 August 2016, 28 people had been killed as a result of the flooding starting 17 July, according to a report by the State Disaster Management Authority.^[19]

The north-eastern states of India saw heavy rainfalls in July 2016. The state of Assam faced around 60% more rains than it received in July 2015.^[20] The rainfall resulted in flooding of various rivers and on 5 July the Brahmaputra River had crossed its danger mark level in the seven districts of Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Nagaon, Jorhat, Golaghat, Morigaon and Biswanath.^[21]

The floods have affected more than 1.6 million human lives, and people choose to abandon their households and livestock, and escape with help of homemade rafts. Mobile phone networks, along with power transmission, have been hampered in many regions of the state.^[18] Around 200,000 hectares (490,000 acres) of farming land was affected by the floods.^[19] The Assam Branch Indian Tea Association (ABITA) has estimated a 21-30% crop loss of Assam tea. The state of Assam had produced 631 million kg of tea in a year

Wild life

The Kaziranga National Park in proximity with the Brahmaputra River.

The floods have affected the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary^[21] and the Kaziranga National Park, a World Heritage Site. As of 2 August 2016, around 300 wild animals have been reported to have drowned, while around 81 percent of the Kaziranga National Park was under water. This includes 21 great one-horned rhinoceroses (Rhinoceros unicornis) and about 219 Indian hog deer (Hyelaphus porcinus).^[22][23] The park officially reported deaths of "11 wild boar, nine swamp deer, six sambar, three buffalo, two hog badger, one porcupine and one python" in the time span of 25 July to 31 July.^[23]

Officers and local people rescued 100 wild animals, including 9 rhinoceroses.^[24] These were taken for treatment at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) located within Kaziranga.^[23]

2017

The state of Assam within India

The 2017 Northeast India floods were caused by overflowing of Brahmaputra river in the state of Assam in July 2017 affecting four Indian states: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur.^[27][28] As of 14 July, 2017, at least 85 people were dead^[29] as a result of the flooding and 4 lac people have been affected and 500,000 have been homeless.^[30] Nearly 60 animals, mostly deer and wild boars, perished in the floods.^[31]

The flood-affected 15 districts of Assam state that includes Lakhimpur, Jorhat, Golaghat, Sivasagar, Cachar, Dhemaji, Karimganj, Sonitpur, Hojai, Biswanath, Majuli, Barpeta, Chirang, Nagaon and Nalbari.^[32] It has also inundated large tracts of Kaziranga National Park, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and Nameri National Park.^[33]

References