Assam Floods: Schoolchildren Dry Mud-Stained Textbooks on Roads in Heartbreaking Video (WATCH)

Devastating monsoon floods in Assam have displaced thousands, with a viral video showing schoolchildren drying their soaked textbooks becoming a symbol of resilience. In response to the widespread damage to educational materials, the Assam government has announced it will provide free replacement textbooks to all affected students.

The floods in Assam, especially hit by relentless monsoon downpours and overflowing rivers, have displaced thousands of residents, leaving communities scrambling to salvage whatever remains of their daily lives.

Over the week, certain districts in Assam, including worst-hit areas like Nagaon, Cachar, and Barpeta, experienced unprecedented rainfall, which led to the submergence of vast tracts of land and cut off vital road connectivity. The northeast state recorded heavy rainfall driven by cloudbursts and excessive downpours, with totals reaching hundreds of millimeters above normal, compounding misery for displaced residents.

It was reported that 62 people tragically lost their lives across the state due to fierce currents and sudden deluges, while rescue teams battle severe logistics challenges to reach marooned villagers.

School Textbooks Soaked in Rain

The Assam floods submerged houses in rural districts in murky floodwaters up to five feet deep, forcing families to abandon their belongings and seek shelter on higher ground. However, the schoolchildren’s textbooks and educational materials were badly soaked and covered in thick mud.

In a video that went viral on social media, a few school-going children were seen laying their notebooks, textbooks, and other study materials carefully across dry stretches of roads, hoping to salvage whatever they could after floodwaters receded from their homes. Since the study materials were apparently drenched and thus, the children were seen drying their books under the sun.

The books were kept in such a way that every single page was opened wide to catch the sunlight, capturing poignant snapshots of innocence, resilience, and the devastating human toll of the ongoing natural disaster.

Assam flood destroyed all the students' books. 

Now, amidst the flood, they are putting all the books on the roadside to dry. 

Assam Needs Attention
Pray for Assam pic.twitter.com/m6R8kmi3vp

— Sanjay Deka (@SanjayDekaFLJ) July 25, 2026

Due to heavy rainfall in certain parts of Assam, schools and educational institutions were forced to suspend classes as campuses transformed into makeshift relief camps or remained entirely submerged beneath swirling floodwaters.

The schools in Margherita, Alubari, and Sonar were reportedly converted into temporary relief camps to accommodate displaced families and shelter hundreds of residents whose homes were submerged by the rising floodwaters. Therefore, local authorities and district administrations rushed essential relief supplies and medical aid to the area, while humanitarian groups stepped in to help the affected families grappling with the extensive devastation.

Assam Government To Provide Free Replacement Textbooks

As the notebooks, textbooks, and other study materials were ruined by the thick silt and floodwaters, the Assam Government stepped forward to ensure that students can continue their education uninterrupted. Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu announced that the government would provide free replacement textbooks.

“After assessing the flood damage across several districts of Assam, I have instructed the Assam State Textbook Production and Publication Corporation to immediately prepare for the resupply of free textbooks to affected students,” Ranoj Pegu wrote on X.

“All Inspectors of Schools (IS) and District Elementary Education Officers (DEEOs) have been directed to submit their textbook requirements at the earliest to facilitate timely distribution.

“For the flood-affected districts of Charaideo and Sivasagar, we are making arrangements to resupply textbooks for the entire district.

"The textbooks will be dispatched as soon as schools reopen, ensuring that students can resume their learning without disruption. Education must continue, even in the face of adversity,” he added.

After assessing the flood damage across several districts of Assam, I have instructed the Assam State Textbook Production and Publication Corporation to immediately prepare for the resupply of free textbooks to affected students.

All Inspectors of Schools (IS) and District…

— Ranoj Pegu (@ranojpeguassam) July 25, 2026

Assam Education Minister’s assurance of replacement textbooks might have come as a relief for thousands of students across the state who lost their valuable academic resources, offering them a renewed sense of hope and a smoother path toward rebuilding their education after the crisis.