Staff Reporter
Guwahati: Touching stories are still emerging from the flood-stricken areas in Upper Assam. Bihubar, Nepalikhuti, in the Sivasagar district, was one of the worst-hit by the deluge on July 19. Debiram Panika, a resident of this area who had already lost his wife, Dipali Panika, to the flash flood, is now desperately searching for his approximately 5-year-old daughter, Radhika. She has been missing since that fateful day.
A heart-broken Debiram is leaving no stone unturned to locate his missing daughter. His heart-wrenching story was revealed during an interview with local reporters today.
Debiram said in the interview, "On that dread-filled day on July 19, the waters of the Dikhow River overflowed and came rushing into our village. The rushing waters and inundation to that level were never before witnessed during our lifetime. When the onrushing water reached our home, I asked my wife and daughters to escape to safety on higher ground. They went to a neighbouring house, but the water reached there as well. By that time, I had also arrived at the neighbouring house, where my wife, two daughters, and I climbed onto the tin roof with others. A sudden, giant wave of water caused the house to collapse, and we fell into the water. It was at that time that we got separated. My wife and daughter Radhika went missing, and a few days later we found my wife's body, but Radhika remains missing. I survived with one of my daughters, but I don't know how I will spend the rest of my days without my wife and Radhika."
The head teacher of a primary school at Nepalikhuti recalled Radhika as an amiable child. He reminisced, "Every day, when she reached school, Radhika used to greet me. It's deeply saddening that she's missing since the flash flood on July 19."
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