Brahmaputra Erodes 70 Metres in Five Hours at Dibrugarh’s Mohanaghat

A CORRESPONDENT

DIBRUGARH: The Brahmaputra river eroded approximately 70 metres of land along the river bank in the Mohanaghat area of Dibrugarh over a just five-hour period on Tuesday evening. The erosion, which occurred between 4 pm and 9 pm, caused concern among residents of nearby riverside villages.

The district administration deployed machinery to the site and the Water Resources Department began dumping geo bags filled with sand and silt from boats to contain the erosion. Additional Deputy Commissioner Deba Narayan Hazarika is overseeing the operation.

Speaking on Wednesday, Hazarika said that the erosion has been largely checked. "The erosion has been almost controlled. We are using geo bags to stem the erosion," he said. He attributed the erosion to a drop in the river's water level after the recent spate.

Villagers continue to remain on alert as the river continues to flow close to the eroded bank. The administration has asked residents to report any fresh signs of bank slippage. The current containment measures are expected to continue for the next few days until the bank is stabilised.

District authorities said that they were monitoring the situation round the clock and have kept additional earth-moving equipment on standby.

"We don't know what will happen to us. The erosion caused by the Brahmaputra has become a serious threat to our lives. The government has taken measures using geo-bag technology, but we are unsure how effective it will be in controlling the erosion," said a local, Dev Chouhan.

He further stated that the river had been steadily advancing towards the village over the years and warned that continued erosion could wipe out the entire area if effective protective measures were not implemented at the earliest area.

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