The floods that have killed 103 people in the north-eastern Indian state of Assam this summer were not made worse by the climate crisis, but rather more immediate human errors such as unchecked deforestation and poor flood defences, a new analysis has found.
The death toll continued to rise in Assam in Thursday’s update on the flooding, which began in late June across the northern part of the state, with multiple rivers remaining above danger levels. The floods have displaced more than 700,000 people and submerged vast stretches of farmland. Although many residents have begun returning to their homes as floodwaters recede, at least 49,000 remain housed in 125 relief camps and distribution centres, officials said earlier this week.
