Staff Reporter, Lakhimpur: The onset of this year’s first flood wave has severely disrupted normal life in parts of western Lakhimpur district, Assam. Continuous heavy rainfall in the region and neighboring Arunachal Pradesh caused several rivers to swell and overflow, flooding low-lying areas including Narayanpur, Dhalpur, and Simaluguri. The Sesa River’s floodwaters breached an under-construction road connecting Simaluguri and Hawajan under the Asom-Mala scheme, halting movement for residents and vehicles alike. This disruption has particularly affected schoolchildren, making their daily commute challenging. Villages such as Rangajan, Phutabhog, Sesa-Dofola, Sesa-Mising, Raja Bari, No. 1 and No. 2 Rooptoli, Ganakdalani, and Kolmowguri in the Dhalpur Mauza area have been inundated by floodwaters from the Sesa River. Locals have pointed to the breached embankment along the river, which has remained unrepaired for over two years, as the main reason behind the flooding. Meanwhile, the Singra River has also overflowed, affecting at least 15 villages in the Nowboicha Revenue Circle over the past 48 hours. Among the worst-hit are No. 1 and No. 2 Gelahati, Gossainibari, Singra, Ahomoni, Rowdung, and Borpathar. The Pabho River’s overflow has further flooded Balitika, Bishnupur, and Phukan Dalani in Laluk. Villagers from Nowboicha have voiced strong criticism against the state Water Resources Department, blaming substandard flood protection work under a Rs 9.4 crore NABARD-funded project for their plight. Residents claim that poor execution of the Gossainibari-Gelahati embankment scheme failed to provide adequate protection, leaving their communities vulnerable to the destructive floods. As the floodwaters continue to disrupt lives, calls for urgent repair and better flood management measures grow louder from the affected communities.
0 Comments