Assam CM meets family of boy who died saving puppy from flood water

During a tour of the flood-hit areas of eastern Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday (August 5, 2026) met the parents of the boy who died while trying to save his pet puppy. Sivasagar district was swamped so quickly by flood water in July that most people could not evacuate in time.

The floodwaters, triggered by extremely heavy rainfall in the hills of adjoining Nagaland, cut through Sivasagar and Charaideo districts on July 19. Nagaland’s Mon town bore the brunt of the water fury, with landslides claiming 11 lives.

“I can help build your house and help in every possible way, but I cannot bring back your son,” the Chief Minister said as 13-year-old Hridip’s parents, Deepak and Parbati Panika, cried on his shoulders.

The Panikas are residents of Bamun Pukhuri village in the Nazira area of Sivasagar district. Hridip, a Class 8 student, was swept away after he saved the puppy, which was struggling to stay afloat. His body was found a few days later, after the water subsided.

Although the number of affected people across 10 districts came down to 1.22 lakh by Wednesday (August 5), the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has warned people to stay away from several rising rivers. The floods have claimed 89 lives since April.

Riverbank erosion

The ebb and flow of the rivers, primarily the Brahmaputra, have led to riverbank erosion in several parts of Assam. One of the worst hit areas is Lakhimpur district’s Bonpuroi-Jamuguri.

Assam’s Finance Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah inspected this erosion-hit area and promised to fortify the Jamuguri-Arimora embankment, a key flood-protection structure in the region.

He said the embankment came under severe pressure after rising water levels and strong currents in the Brahmaputra triggered intense riverbank erosion. A large crack developed along the embankment, raising fears of an imminent breach, with a substantial portion reportedly on the verge of collapsing into the river.

Officials warned that a breach of the embankment could inundate vast areas under the Bihpuria and Gohpur Assembly constituencies on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra, prompting concern among residents and the district administration.

In western Assam, reports of breaches in the embankments of rivers originating in Bhutan have caused widespread anxiety. There are also fears that excess water could be released from the Kurichhu Dam in the rain-battered Himalayan country, leading to a repeat of the 2023 deluge along the Beki River.

Nadda visit

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J. P. Nadda visited flood-hit areas of Assam along with the Chief Minister and met with families of those who lost their lives in the disaster. He assured the victims of the Centre’s support.

“I assure everyone that there will be no lapses of any kind in the relief and rescue operations. Teams of Central Government representatives are conducting extensive assessments of flood damage, and financial assistance is being provided to the State,” he said.

Mr. Nadda also visited landslide-affected areas of Nagaland’s Mon district. According to Nagaland officials, the incessant rainfall washed away more than 800 houses and partially damaged 1,079 others.

Nagaland has been experiencing heavy rainfall over the past few days. Officials said the downpour triggered a major landslide on National Highway-29, blocking the crucial link between Kohima, the State’s capital, and Dimapur, its commercial hub on the border with Assam.

Incessant rainfall also triggered flash floods along the Laini River in adjoining Manipur’s Ukhrul district. Officials said freshly planted paddy in fields flanking the river has been damaged.