Rainwater from Arunachal and Bhutan wreaks havoc
Staff Reporter
Guwahati: Heavy rainfall was again recorded in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan since last night, posing a threat of floods in several areas on the North Bank of the Brahmaputra in Assam. According to the latest reports, a railway bridge over the Simen River in Jonai LAC in the Dhemaji district collapsed due to strong currents eroding the riverbank, following heavy rainfall in upstream areas.
Following the emerging flood situation, CM Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma instructed Water Resources Minister Susanta Borgohain and Revenue & Disaster Management Minister Keshab Mahanta to monitor the flood and relief operations on the ground in Dhemaji district.
Starting in the wee hours of Sunday, the water level in rivers flowing into Assam through Arunachal and Bhutan showed a rising trend. In the morning today, an iron bridge over the Silei River, connecting Kemi and Purana Jelemgaon in Jonai LAC, was swept away by the raging waters, disrupting communication between the two villages.
Another incident occurred later in the day when a railway bridge over the Simen River in the Simenchapori area in the Dhemaji district collapsed after the turbulent waters of the river eroded the banks, leading to a railway connectivity issue. Following the emerging flood situation in the Jonai LAC, Lakhimpur MP Pradan Baruah and local MLA Bhubon Pegu visited the area to take stock.
Following his visit, MP Pradan Baruah posted on social media, “Some time ago, Hon’ble MLA Mr Bhubon Pegu and others reported that heavy rainfall caused the rail bridge over the Simen River to collapse, disrupting transportation. We are continuously monitoring the situation and remain in coordination with the concerned departments... We respectfully urge the public of the assembly constituency and the district to take precautions and follow government instructions. Necessary measures are being taken to restore normalcy.”
Meanwhile, the overflowing waters of the Aie River, flowing into Assam from Bhutan, flooded several villages in the Chirang district, especially in Sidli and Bengtal revenue circles. The water levels in other rivers, like Nangalbhanga and Makra, are rising rapidly, leading to fears of flooding in some areas of Chirang district. The waters of the Mora Pagladiya River also flooded several villages in Tihu in the Nalbari district. A country boat laden with around 25 people and cargo sank in the Brahmaputra near Baghbor IWT Ghat in the Barpeta district. However, no casualty was reported in the incident.
Regarding the flood situation, CM Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma posted on his X handle, “Since the flood situation has unfolded in Dhemaji, I’ve been closely monitoring the situation. We are deeply saddened by the impact it has had on the lives of our people and in this difficult time, we firmly stand with them. We are deploying a whole of government approach and mobilising all our resources to prioritise the immediate safety and long term rehabilitation of all families affected. I have specifically directed my cabinet colleagues Shri @borgohainSBG - the Hon’ble Water Resources Minster and Shri @keshab_mahanta - the Hon’ble Minister for Revenue & Disaster Management, to station themselves in Dhemaji and oversee the entire relief process. We are leaving no stone unturned to mitigate the impact of these floods on our people.”
According to the CWC’s evening report, the water level of the Brahmaputra in Dibrugarh, Neamatighat and Dhubri was showing a rising trend. Meanwhile, the water level of the Disang River continued to flow above the danger mark in the Sivasagar district.
As per the latest ASDMA report, 11 revenue circles have been affected in 6 districts-Dhemaji, Nalbari, Dibrugarh, Chirang, Lakhimpur and Kokrajhar, with 96 villages affected.
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