Assam in Shambles After Heavy Floods, 2 Lakh People Affected

After a few days of extreme heat and no rain – floods, landslides, and heavy rains have broken in the northeast. Thousands have been affected by the floods which have left several dead and homeless. As per reports, over 2 lakh people have been affected by the floods.

In Assam, this took place after the weather suddenly changed with heavy rains starting in one part of the state and floods in the other part of the state. The damage is abundant to crops and animals. In some parts of Assam, the land in the hills began collapsing and, in some places, the river erosion has started. In the middle of this, there was also a mild earthquake.

Harrowing images showing submerged lands have been shared with Sabrang India.

Visuals from Silchar, Assam by CJP community volunteer Rima Sarkar

Triggered by the Cyclone Remal, Assam has already been grappling with severe floods that have left four people dead and homeless, and above 42000 people and affected millions of people. All trains have been cancelled that pass through south Assam, Tripura, Manipur, and Mizoram as the railway tracks have been flooded. Over 35,000 people have been moved to relief camps.

As per Sabrang India’s ground sources, two of the most affected areas are Cachar and Karimganj districts. The districts most severely impacted by the flooding include Nagaon, Hailakandi, Karbi Anglong, Karimganj, Cachar, Hojai, Golaghat, and West Karbi Anglong.

PTI has reported Cachar has seen over112,246 residents severely affected by the floods, with. 37,000 people affected in Karimganj, 22,058 in Hojai, and 14,308 in Hailakandi.

Roads submerged in Hailakandi. Photo by: Farid Ali, CJP volunteer.

In Cachar Karimganj, Cachar and Hailakandi of the Barak Valley, the Barak River and its tributaries – Kushiara, Longai, Kushiara, Singla, and Katakhal, are all flowing above the danger levels. There have been several landslides in many villages in Cachar, Hailakandi and Dima Hasau. Similarly, heavy erosion has also been noted in Silchar and Udharbond under the Cachar District. The heavy pouring that continued the entire night has resulted in a sudden rise of water level which has been reportedly increasing at a rate of 1.5 metres every hour on average. Meanwhile the tributaries like Singla, Longai, Jatinga, Dhaleswari and Mathura have also been overflowing.

As of now, the water level of the Barak River has crossed the danger mark at Annapurna Ghat point. The danger level is 19.83 metres but it is continually rising now 21.54 metres as of May 31.

Harrowing visuals of the flood have come from Silchar. Sabrang India’s team spoke to Professor Seema Ghosh, who said that in 2022 the same spot had seen a flood. The state government showed that it spent a staggering Rs 65 crores on sluice gates (a type of gate to manage water flow) but this has not helped the people at all. “There is destruction everywhere.”

During the nightmarish 2022 floods in Assam last year saw the highest water level recorded at in Silchar’s Annapurna Ghat at 21.59 metres. The floods two years ago had killed over 100 people in the state.

The Brahmaputra valley has witnessed heavy rains and cyclone rages after a sudden cyclone on May 27th and 28th caused heavy damage in various districts of Brahmaputra valley, 8 young school-going children have been reported dead so far. A young boy named Mintu Talukder who fell from a tree in Kamrup District died. In the same district, another child died while sleeping at home due to a landslide. Several school children were injured with even one death after a school bus was destroyed by falling trees at Dhekiajuli of Sonitpur District. Two more school children aged 5 and 7 died sunk in water in Barpeta District whose name were Md. Habib and Abul Hussain while they are going to school on May 30. Another accident took place when a student of class one died in a terrible accident while going to school with his mother at Bilsapara of Dhubri District. His mother survived but is in a critical condition.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms in Chirang, Bongaigaon, Goalpara, Dhubri, Barpeta, South-Salmara, Cachar,Baksa, Karimganj Districts and some other parts of Assam.

The deadly Cyclone Remal has severely affected West Bengal, Bangladesh and Assam as well as other North Eastern states such as Tripura, Manipur and Mizoram. According to reports, 29 people have died in landslides in Mizoram and 5 more people are missing as search operations continue.