Guwahati: The flood crisis in Assam has worsened over the past 24 hours due to heavy cloudbursts in the Mon district of Nagaland. Rivers in Charaideo, Sivasagar and Jorhat districts rose without warning, sending water pouring into hundreds of villages before people could react. “Till early morning, there were 6 inches of water in our village, but by 10 am the water level rose up to 4 feets, it is horrible”, said Naren Barua, one of the flood affected villagers in Sibsagar district.
Officials say a cloudburst in Nagaland’s Mon district is a big part of the problem. The sudden downpour there sent extra water rushing into Assam’s rivers, and combined with continuous rain across the state, the situation has spiralled. More than two lakh people are now affected by the flood in the state.
Flood water currently covers 12 districts of Assam. The scale of the crisis has pushed the state government to call in the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force, asking both to stay ready for evacuation and rescue work.
The Assam State Disaster Management Authority confirmed that a person lost his life in Sivasagar because of the floods. That brings this year’s flood death toll to five.
According to the latest figures, the districts bearing the brunt of the floods are Biswanath Chariali, Cachar, Charaideo, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Jorhat, Karbi Anglong, Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Tinsukia and Udalguri. Among these, Charaideo has been hit the hardest.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “As the flood situation in Sivasagar, Charaideo and Jorhat continues to worsen, Govt of Assam has requested the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force to be on standby to support evacuation and rescue operations, if required. I have also directed my colleagues, Ajanta Neog, Bimal Bora, Keshab Mahanta and Sushanta Borgohain to immediately reach the affected areas, supervise relief efforts and ensure that every affected family receives timely assistance.”
“The safety and well-being of our people is our highest priority. I am monitoring the situation round the clock and we will take every necessary step to protect lives and provide all possible relief”, CM Sarma added.
The floods have already submerged 600 villages. Agriculture has taken a heavy hit too, with over 10,362 hectares of crops damaged across the state. Embankments, roads and bridges have also been damaged in several districts, adding to the challenge of reaching cut-off communities.
More than 1,37,500 farm animals and poultry have been affected as well, the ASDMA said. In Dibrugarh district’s Khowang area, the Burhidihing river continues to flow above the danger mark at Chenimari, keeping authorities on edge.
Rescue teams on the ground
Response teams are already deployed. Six teams from the 12th Battalion of the National Disaster Response Force — 186 personnel and 24 boats in total — are working in Sivasagar and Charaideo. In Jorhat, two teams from the 1st Battalion NDRF, made up of 60 personnel and 10 boats, are carrying out rescue operations.
Rail services hit
Rail communications have been severely hit by the floods. Heavy rain upstream has caused the Dikhow river to overflow, flooding Simaluguri town in Sivasagar district, including its station yard and railway colony. Water has risen high enough to flow over the tracks in the Simaluguri area.
To keep passengers and trains safe, railway authorities have suspended train movement on the routes connecting upper Assam until further notice. Long-distance trains that usually run from Dibrugarh and Tinsukia are now being diverted via the Rangiyaa- Rangapara route, and several local trains have either been cancelled or are ending their journeys early.
Railway officials say teams and materials have already been sent to the affected spots, and the situation is being watched closely. However, they admit it’s too early to say when normal train services will resume. Until the water recedes, there’s no way to properly assess the damage to the tracks.
