Severe Flooding in Upper Assam Disrupts Last Rites for Families
Tragic Circumstances Amidst Flooding
Family members and villagers of Elengmora in Jorhat taking part in the last rites of 106 year old Aitikou Tamuli amidst floodwaters (Photo: AT)
Jorhat, July 29: The devastation caused by the floods in Upper Assam has reached alarming levels, with some families struggling to find dry ground even for the last rites of their deceased.
In a heartbreaking event in Elengmora village, located near Jorhat, a 106-year-old woman was cremated on a small dry area surrounded by floodwaters, as her family and villagers could not locate a proper site for her cremation.
The woman, Aitikou Tamuli, passed away as the Bhogdoi River overflowed, submerging large sections of Elengmora. Roads and open spaces are completely flooded, halting daily life in the village.
Floodwaters invaded Tamuli's home, complicating her family's grief as they struggled to organize her funeral.
Residents reported that the entire village is underwater, leaving no accessible cremation ground or dry land for last rites.
"We transported her body on a raft made from banana tree trunks through the floodwaters and ultimately conducted the funeral on a small patch of land near a pond. That was the only dry area we could find," shared a family member.
The family noted that Tamuli's health deteriorated after she fell when floodwaters surged into the area on Sunday night.
"She fell when the floodwaters came in on Sunday night. Her condition worsened rapidly. Despite our attempts, she could not recover and eventually passed away. When it was time for her last rites, we found water everywhere and no suitable place for cremation," another family member recounted.
With no other options, villagers found a small elevated area near a pond to perform the last rites beneath a tree.
This incident underscores the struggles faced by countless families in flood-affected Upper Assam.
In addition to losing homes, crops, and livelihoods, many are now grappling with the loss of loved ones under extremely challenging conditions, as floodwaters complicate even the final farewells.
As per the latest flood bulletin from the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) dated July 28, the flood-related death toll in the state has reached 75, with seven additional fatalities reported in the last 24 hours.
While the number of affected individuals has decreased to 3.32 lakh, four districts—Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat, and Golaghat—remain severely impacted.
In Jorhat district alone, 87 villages are affected, including 39 in Jorhat West, 18 each in Teok and Titabor, eight in Mariani, and four in Jorhat East. The floods have also devastated 2,944.42 hectares of agricultural land in the district, illustrating the extensive repercussions of the deluge on both lives and livelihoods.