A 25-year-old Class 10 dropout has emerged as an unlikely hero during Assam's recent floods after helping rescue nearly 2,000 people from submerged villages using only a traditional wooden boat and his knowledge of the river. Shravan Kumar, a resident of Bihubor in Sivasagar district, led the volunteer rescue effort on July 19 as rising floodwaters inundated large parts of the Nazira Co-District, saving children, elderly residents, pregnant women and patients trapped inside flooded homes.

Shravan had gone to the banks of the Dikhow River at around 3 a.m. on July 19 to collect floating logs, a seasonal activity that provides firewood and supplemental income for his family. However, after noticing unusually large tree trunks rushing downstream, he sensed that severe flooding was imminent.

By morning, floodwaters had begun entering nearby villages, including his own home. Despite his family struggling to move their belongings to safety, Shravan chose to remain at the riverbank and assist stranded residents. Using a traditional "Tulunga Nao" and accompanied by a group of friends, he ventured into dangerous floodwaters without formal rescue training or a motorised boat.

The rescue operation began around 10 a.m. and continued through the night into the following day. The volunteers navigated strong currents, floating timber and poor visibility to reach people stranded on rooftops, inside ceiling spaces and in partially submerged houses. Shravan said the team repeatedly returned to flooded villages to evacuate those unable to escape on their own, including children, elderly residents, pregnant women and patients. According to his estimate, nearly 2,000 people across five villages were brought to safety during the operation.

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The July 19 floods caused extensive damage in the Nazira Co-District, submerging villages, damaging roads and disrupting electricity and communication services. Many families were forced to take refuge on rooftops as water levels continued to rise. Shravan's rescue effort has drawn attention as an example of local volunteers stepping in where access remained difficult during the emergency, highlighting the crucial role played by community members in disaster response.

Meanwhile, the overall flood situation in Assam has shown signs of improvement. According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), around 1.78 lakh people remained affected across seven districts as of Saturday, down from approximately 1.92 lakh the previous day. No fresh flood-related deaths were reported, leaving the death toll at 82.

Authorities said the Dikhow River at Sivasagar and the Dhansiri River at Numaligarh continued to flow above the danger mark. Floodwaters have affected 349 villages across Golaghat, Sivasagar, Charaideo, Bajali, Dhemaji, Sonitpur and Jorhat districts, with Charaideo and Sivasagar among the worst-hit. The state government continues to operate 44 relief camps sheltering around 15,000 displaced people, along with 17 relief distribution centres providing assistance to thousands of affected residents.

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