'I am mentally shattered': Assam flood survivor struggles to cook a meal, asks, 'Where will we live now?'

"I am mentally shattered. I don't know what day it is or what is happening around me." Those are the words of Mrigakshi Buragohain, a flood survivor from Assam's Nazira, whose life was upended by the devastating July 19 floods. Days after the waters receded, she stands in her mud-filled kitchen trying to cook a simple pot of dal for her family. With her stove, utensils and food supplies damaged by the flood, even preparing a meal has become a daily struggle as she grapples with trauma and the daunting task of rebuilding her life.
 

The haunting scenes are from Bihobar, Santak, Prajabasti and Nepalikhuti villages in Assam's Nazira subdivision, near the Nagaland border, where floodwaters have receded but devastation remains. Thick layers of mud blanket homes, walls have collapsed, household belongings lie buried under silt, and families have returned only to find their lives reduced to rubble.
 

When India Today NE, visited these villages on July 25, residents walked through what remained of their homes, pointing to destroyed furniture, mud-filled rooms and belongings that could no longer be salvaged. Amid the destruction, one question echoed across every household: "Where will we live now?"
 

Among those who survived is Mrigakshi Buragohain, who says she owes her life to her neighbour, Bishal Giri, who rescued her as floodwaters engulfed the village.
 

"The water came so fast that we couldn't save anything. It washed away everything. Floods have come before, but never like this," she recalled.
 

According to Buragohain, the water rose within minutes, forcing her family to spend the entire night on the rooftop.

"The water rose so quickly that we spent the entire night on the rooftop. I saw people being swept away right in front of my eyes. Five or six of our goats died. Everything happened so suddenly," she said.

The trauma of that night continues to haunt her.
 

"I am mentally shattered. I don't know what will happen to us or how we will rebuild our lives. People are helping us, and we are grateful for that," she said.

She credits Bishal Giri with saving her life.
 

"Bishal Giri saved my life. He caught hold of my hair and pulled me to safety. Then we climbed onto the roof," she said.

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Today, Buragohain's home remains buried under mud. Her almirah is packed with silt, household belongings have been destroyed and the kitchen where she once cooked for her family is barely functional. Standing amid the debris, she struggles to prepare even a pot of dal as mud continues to cover her stove, utensils and the little food she has left.
 

"Everything is destroyed. Our house is filled with mud. The almirah is packed with silt. Nothing is left. We have three small children... where will we live now?" she asked.
 

For families like Buragohain's, the flood has left behind far more than damaged homes. Livelihoods have been washed away, livestock have perished and years of savings have disappeared under layers of mud.
 

As residents begin the painful task of clearing silt and salvaging whatever remains, the challenge ahead is not just rebuilding houses, but rebuilding lives.