Assam Flood Update: Barak Valley Situation Continues To Be Grim

The flood situation in Assam's Hailakandi district has turned dire, with thousands of residents affected as the Katakhal River continues to overflow. Vast areas, including Mohanpur village, remain submerged following the breach of the river embankment. More than 200 families in Mohanpur alone are reported to be underwater.

According to locals, daily life in the affected areas has come to a complete standstill. Hundreds of families are trapped inside their homes without access to food, clean drinking water, or medical support. With water levels continuing to rise and more rain forecast, fear of a worsening crisis looms large.

Despite the gravity of the situation, residents allege that no officials from the Hailakandi district administration have visited the flood-hit villages. No relief camps have been set up, and essential supplies, including food, water, and livestock feed, have not been distributed.

Some villagers have used boats to evacuate their families to safer locations, while others remain stranded. The absence of official support has sparked outrage among residents.

Local District Council member Aftab Uddin Laskar has urged the administration to act swiftly, calling for the immediate rescue and relocation of flood-affected families to safe shelters.

Meanwhile, in Assam’s Cachar district, a tragic incident occurred in Dewan Lalang, Lakhipur, where a young man named Jiten Bagdi drowned while fishing in the floodwaters. He had gone missing the previous day, and his body was recovered by locals from a nearby waterbody. Police retrieved the body and sent it to Silchar Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem. The incident has cast a pall of gloom over the local community.

Tensions flared in Borjatyapur Uzangram area when Cachar Congress MLA Misbaul Islam Laskar faced public outrage over poor road infrastructure. The MLA was visiting a flood relief camp in Uzangram, but on his return, his convoy was stopped by angry locals demanding answers about delayed and unutilized road development funds. Confronted with pointed questions, the MLA left the scene abruptly, leaving residents frustrated and dissatisfied.

In Sribhumi district, the flood situation in the Sribhumi area remains grim for the fifth consecutive day. Villages such as Malua, Srigouri, Chaitanyanagar, Kandigram, Patirakandi, Jagannathpur, and Naharpur remain underwater. In Korbat, people have taken shelter in neighboring homes or on embankments and along National Highway 6, often with their livestock in tow.

Close to 50,000 residents are suffering due to the lack of adequate shelter, food, and electricity. The recent delimitation exercise, which merged parts of the former Badarpur constituency into North Karimganj, has only deepened residents' grievances. Many allege that their MLA, Kamalaksha Purkayastha, has not visited the flood-affected areas during the crisis.

Adding to the crisis, repeated breaches in the Barak River embankments, neglected for decades, have led to fresh inundation of new areas. Amid the worsening situation, District Council member Archana Dutta and Panchayat member Lucky Dey, accompanied by SDRF personnel, have been praised for their rescue operations and efforts to set up temporary shelters.

Frequent power cuts have further exacerbated the suffering, plunging the region into darkness and despair.

Also Read: Monsoon Picks Up Pace in Assam: Flood Alert as Rain Batters 20+ Districts