Severe Flooding Hits Assam, Displacing Residents and Causing Damage
Flooding Crisis in Assam
A woman stands outside her flood-hit home in Assam's Lakhimpur district. (Photo)
Lakhimpur/ Jorhat/Bijni, July 13: A new wave of flooding has struck various regions in Assam, particularly impacting Lakhimpur. This surge was triggered by a significant increase in water discharge from the 2,000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (SLHEP) at Gerukamukh, leading to the inundation of downstream areas and raising alarms about dam-related flooding.
The SLHEP issued a 'High Discharge' alert as water levels in the Subansiri River rose sharply.
As reported by the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) of Lakhimpur, the project released 12,057.24 cumecs of water at 10 am on Monday, an increase of 800.21 cumecs from the previous hour's discharge of 11,257.03 cumecs.
The DDMA noted that this heightened discharge coincided with substantial upstream inflows of 3,276.78 cumecs from Daporijo (EWS-1) and 8,968.26 cumecs from Tamen (EWS-2), causing a rapid rise in the river's water level.
N. Mohammad, a consultant for the SLHEP, stated that the reservoir is being maintained at 188 meters in accordance with directives from the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA).
He explained, "The increased discharge is a result of the higher volume of water flowing into the Subansiri from its upstream catchment. The reservoir is currently being kept at 188 meters as per NDSA guidelines."
The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), which manages the project, previously indicated that the Subansiri River can safely handle up to 7,000 cumecs of water; exceeding this amount could lead to downstream flooding.
The flooding impacted nearly 20 revenue villages in the Mohaijan area near North Lakhimpur. (Photo)
Villages such as Ghunasuti, Naharani, Ghagar Kalakhowa, and Sagalikota were submerged, forcing many residents to seek refuge in elevated chang ghars after salvaging what belongings they could.
Authorities issued warnings as water levels rose quickly, with villagers reporting that the river began to swell dramatically around 7 am.
One resident from Naharani village recounted, "The water arrived in the morning. We didn't even notice it rising. We managed to save our cows, but our goats, geese, and chickens were swept away. The water came so suddenly that we lost everything. Our homes are on the brink of being completely submerged by tonight."
The flooding has affected nearly 20 revenue villages in the Mohaijan area, increasing erosion risks in Na-Ali, Ghancharai, Tinisuti, Khoga, and Jugalpur.
In another incident, continuous rainfall led to fresh flooding in Jorhat after the Puthi River breached its embankment near Moran Gaon late Sunday night.
This breach inundated Balma Moran Gaon, Bejor Chowk, and Deodhai Gaon, submerging hundreds of hectares of farmland.
A local resident stated, "We learned about the embankment breach yesterday and immediately alerted the villagers. Water flooded homes and paddy fields. This occurs every year. We have repeatedly urged the government and relevant departments to find a permanent solution, and we are making the same appeal again."
Extensive areas of newly transplanted paddy fields were submerged, raising concerns about significant crop losses. Road connectivity and communication were also disrupted, prompting residents to call for immediate repairs to the breached embankment, along with relief and compensation.
In western Assam, flash floods caused by a sudden influx of water from Bhutan affected Panbari Bijoypur village in Bijni on Monday morning.
This flooding submerged several homes, damaged large areas of agricultural land, and impacted multiple families, compounding the difficulties brought on by the ongoing monsoon season.
Residents have appealed to the government for urgent relief and rehabilitation, urging authorities to implement long-term flood mitigation strategies to prevent future disasters.