Guwahati: More than 800 people lost their lives in floods and landslides across Assam over the past decade, with official records presented in the Assam Legislative Assembly showing that 2022 was the state’s deadliest flood year.
According to the government’s reply, natural disasters claimed 866 lives between 2016 and 2025. Floods were responsible for 841 of those deaths, while landslides accounted for the remaining 25.
The annual flood toll changed sharply during the 10-year period. Fatalities rose from 64 in 2016 to 160 in 2017 before dropping to 45 the following year. The numbers increased again to 101 in 2019 and 124 in 2020, then fell to just eight in 2021.
Flood-related deaths reached their highest level in 2022, when 181 people were killed. The toll later declined to 18 in 2023, increased to 110 in 2024 and fell again to 25 in 2025.
Morigaon figured among the worst-affected districts in terms of cumulative flood fatalities during the decade. Cachar, Nagaon, Barpeta, Dibrugarh, Sonitpur, Golaghat, Darrang and Kamrup Metro also recorded notable numbers of flood deaths over different years.
The Assembly data also provides a separate account of landslide fatalities. Across the decade, 25 people died in rain-triggered landslides in different parts of the state.
Landslide fatalities remained relatively low throughout the decade except in 2020, when the state recorded its highest annual toll of 11 deaths.
Five people died in 2021 and one in 2022, while seven fatalities were reported in 2025. Two deaths each were recorded in 2016 and 2018, with no such incidents reported in 2017 or 2024.
Kamrup Metro registered the largest number of landslide fatalities during the period. Other districts affected included Karimganj, Cachar, Dima Hasao, Hailakandi and Goalpara, reflecting the continued vulnerability of hilly terrain and Barak Valley areas during heavy rainfall.
The data was provided by the Assam government in a written reply tabled in the Legislative Assembly.