Upper Assam floods drown tea belt, trigger humanitarian crisis

A relentless deluge coupled with a cloudburst in neighbouring Nagaland has plunged Upper Assam's famed tea belt into a humanitarian crisis, with floodwaters submerging vast stretches of plantations, displacing thousands of workers and crippling essential infrastructure, the Tea Association of India (TAI) said on Monday.

Expressing deep concern over the unfolding disaster, the Assam unit of TAI said the Nazira subdivision in Sivasagar district — one of the state's most important tea-growing regions — has borne the brunt of the flooding as rivers originating in Nagaland swelled beyond danger levels.

"The sudden surge of water in the rivers originating from Nagaland resulted in all major rivers flowing above the danger level. The breach of the Dorika River embankment further aggravated the situation, causing extensive inundation across the tea estates of the Nazira region," the association said in a statement.

Almost every tea estate in the affected belt now lies submerged, with workers' quarters, estate hospitals, schools, roads and other vital infrastructure swallowed by floodwaters, bringing life and plantation activities to a grinding halt.

The devastation has forced thousands of tea workers and their families to flee their homes and seek shelter in factory buildings, managers' bungalows and other elevated structures within the estates, turning workplaces into makeshift relief camps.

Among the worst-hit plantations is the Bamonpookrie Tea Estate, where the scale of destruction has been particularly severe.

In one of the crisis's most poignant moments, a pregnant tea worker delivered her baby inside the factory premises after floodwaters cut off access to medical facilities. Another expectant mother, on the verge of childbirth, also required urgent medical attention, underscoring the immense hardships faced by stranded families.

Despite the overwhelming challenges, estate managements rallied to support displaced workers by arranging temporary shelter, cooked meals, safe drinking water, essential supplies and emergency assistance.

TAI commended estate staff for working tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of workers and their families throughout the disaster.

The association also praised the swift response of the Sivasagar district administration, which coordinated rescue operations, evacuated stranded residents and ensured timely medical care for those in distress.

According to TAI, the combined efforts of the district administration, disaster response agencies and tea estate managements have proved crucial in preventing a greater tragedy.

However, it warned that the emergency is far from over.

"While immediate rescue operations are underway, the humanitarian crisis remains far from over. Restoration of drinking water, electricity, roads, medical services and workers' housing will require sustained support in the coming days," the association said.

Urging authorities to intensify relief and rehabilitation efforts, TAI said restoring normalcy in the flood-ravaged tea belt would require sustained government support and coordinated action.

Meanwhile, the flood situation in Upper Assam continued to worsen, prompting the deployment of the Indian Army to rescue people stranded across several districts.

Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said four cabinet ministers have been stationed in the affected areas to oversee rescue and relief operations as incessant rainfall continues to batter large parts of the state.

With plantations underwater, thousands displaced and livelihoods disrupted, the floods have dealt a severe blow not only to Assam's tea industry but also to the communities whose lives revolve around it.

With PTI inputs