Assam floods: 106-year-old woman cremated on tiny patch of dry land in submerged Jorhat village

Amid the devastating flood situation in Assam’s Jorhat district, a 106-year-old woman was cremated on a small patch of land that remained above water near a pond in the submerged Alengmora area.

The elderly woman, identified as Aitikou Tamuli died during the devastating floods that have inundated large parts of greater Alengmora near Jorhat town.

Her death left the grieving family facing an additional challenge — finding a suitable place to perform her last rites as floodwaters had engulfed the entire locality.

Residents said the overflowing Bhogdoi River had submerged large parts of Elengmora, with knee-deep water in courtyards and floodwater entering several homes. The family’s house was also inundated, leaving no dry space nearby for the cremation.

With floodwaters stretching across the area as far as the eye could see, the family and local residents struggled to arrange the final rites.

Eventually, villagers identified a small patch of land that remained above water beneath a tree on the bank of a pond. The family and residents then carried out the woman’s last rites at the spot amid the floodwaters.

The incident has highlighted the humanitarian challenges faced by flood-hit families in Upper Assam, where residents continue to grapple with inundated homes, disrupted connectivity and a shortage of safe, dry spaces.