31 villages affected, 153 houses swept away as Assam’s Jia Dhol river continues to overflow

With most houses destroyed, and no place to go, 153 families of Dihiri Sapori, Lapong, and Kochari villages in the Dhemaji district have taken refuge in a school as the overflowing of the Jia Dhol river interrupted daily life affecting 31 villages.

Due to incessant downpour in the neighboring State of Arunachal Pradesh, the water level of the River Jiadhol, a sub-tributary of the Brahmaputra, has risen since Saturday night. The NDRF rescue operation and relocation of flood-affected people are going on in the flood-ravaged area. 

The Dhemaji Revenue Circle Officer informed that one man almost perished in the floodwaters but the NDRF officials quickly came to rescue him. 

Talking to IndiaTodayNE, a circle officer stated, “Villages hit by flooding have already lost 80% of their land. Ten villages, at least, are submerged. Rescue efforts are ongoing, and people are moving steadily to relief camps. This year Dhemaji district saw the worst situation of flooding.”

The speed of the rising water doubled as wood, bamboo, tree branches, and trees were hit and trapped in a bridge. Waterlogging has caused an unsettling situation because the route is now blocked by floodwaters.

Locals claim that the river has altered its route three times alone in the last four years. Between 2006 and 2015, it flowed steadily and towards the southwest before changing its nature and course in 2016.

From April 6 to July 15, Assam witnessed two waves of floods that cumulatively affected 89,21,056 people (one-third of the state’s population) in 9,918 villages across 34 districts. Floods in Dhemaji affected 148 villages, destroying crops over 7,591.40 hectares and impacting over 91,589 people.