Guwahati, Aug. 15 -- The devastating floods that affected Assam and neighbouring states in 2026 were worsened by rapid urbanisation, deforestation, land degradation and other local vulnerabilities, while the rainfall itself remained within historical norms, according to a new attribution study by World Weather Attribution (WWA).

The study found no clear evidence that human-caused climate change had altered the intensity or likelihood of the heavy monsoonal rainfall linked to the floods. However, the researchers cautioned that limited weather data and difficulties in modelling rainfall in hilly areas created some uncertainty around the findings.

At least 99 people were killed, hundreds of thousands were displaced and around 45,000 hectar...