Assam: Brahmaputra erosion threatens 1,400 families in Tinsukia amid flood advisory

A deepening riverbank erosion crisis along the Brahmaputra River in Tinsukia district has placed nearly 1,400 families under imminent threat, even as a fresh flood advisory warns of rising river levels across the Northeast.
 

The erosion, reported from the Dighaltarang Tea Estate area, is being driven by the river’s aggressive flow through the Dangari channel. Officials and workers said around 35.48 hectares of tea plantation land have already been washed away, destroying thousands of tea bushes and affecting production.
 

Key infrastructure, including the estate’s factory, hospital and workers’ quarters, now lies dangerously close to the erosion line, with some sections barely 300 metres away.
 

“The erosion is advancing rapidly. If immediate measures are not taken, the estate’s core facilities could be lost,” a workers’ leader said.
 

The situation is particularly severe in the ‘Purana Line’ residential area, where parts have already been engulfed, leaving families in fear of further displacement.
 

The crisis comes in the backdrop of an advisory issued by the Central Water Commission based on forecasts from the India Meteorological Department, warning of persistent rainfall in the region till May 4.
 

The advisory indicated a likely rise in water levels in major rivers, including the Brahmaputra and its tributaries, between May 1 and 6, identifying upper Assam as highly vulnerable.
 

Meanwhile, allegations have surfaced over a Rs 4 crore embankment project, with workers claiming it was limited in scope and failed to withstand the river’s force. Labour representatives have called for accountability and urgent reinforcement measures.
 

With nearly 1,474 families dependent on the estate for their livelihood, labour bodies have urged immediate intervention, warning that failure to act could trigger a humanitarian crisis in the district.