Barak river swells 1.48 m above danger mark; flood crisis deepens in Cachar

Silchar, June 2: Despite a brief dip in water levels late Sunday, the flood situation in Assam’s Cachar district remained critical on Monday as the Barak River rose once again, submerging low-lying areas and disrupting connectivity and power supply.

According to the Water Resources Department, the Barak River was flowing at 21.31 metres at 11 am—well above the danger mark of 19.83 metres—with forecasts predicting a further rise. Officials noted that during the 2022 floods, the river had peaked at 21.59 metres.

In Katigorah, ferry services across the Barak have been suspended amid rising waters, compounding commuter woes. With the Gamon bridge under repair since May 21, residents are being forced to use railway tracks to cross the area.

The situation has turned grim for residents of Gosainpur and adjoining areas under the Udharbond constituency, with the Madhura River inundating large parts of homes and settlements.

A portion of the VIP road connecting Silchar to the airport is also at risk of erosion due to the Madhura’s strong current.

The Cachar district administration has placed the area on high alert, activating relief and shelter mechanisms.

Five women-centric relief camps are operational in Udharbond, three in Sonai, and seventeen across Silchar. Pre-emptive dispatch of relief materials to Borkhola has also been completed.

Efforts to drain water from urban areas in Silchar are under way, with high-capacity pumps—including 50 HP units—being brought in from Rosekandi, Haticherra, and ONGC. At Bangla Ghat, dewatering operations have begun to clear stagnant zones and restore normalcy.

Silchar MLA Dipayan Chakraborty announced via social media that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will visit Barak Valley on Tuesday to review the flood situation.

Meanwhile, Minister for Food, Public Distribution, Consumer Affairs, and Barak Valley Development Kaushik Rai continued his inspection flood-hit areas for the second consecutive day on Monday.

Apart from visiting multiple relief camps across Silchar, he also travelled to Borkhola constituency, inspecting affected areas including Raja Gobinda Chandra Higher Secondary School and Bijoypur Bar Rampur Primary School.

On Sunday, he chaired a comprehensive review meeting at the District Commissioner’s office before convening another high-level review meeting with Udharbond MLA Mihir Kanti Shome, Silchar MLA Dipayan Chakraborty, DC Mridul Yadav, and SP Numal Mahatta.

Minister Rai has reportedly directed the immediate deployment of medical teams to all relief camps to prevent disease outbreaks.

With 154 transformers disconnected due to flooding, the Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd (APDCL) has begun restoration efforts in areas not submerged.

The Water Resources Department has also been mobilised to repair damaged embankments and dykes on a war footing. Security has been tightened across all relief camps.

The Agriculture Department has initiated the distribution of animal feed to prevent livestock losses.