Flash flood catches 40,000 unawares in Assam’s Sonitpur; one swept away

Many parts of Balipara and nearly three dozen villages in Chariduar were hit as thousands of people fled their homes due to the sudden rise in the water level of the Jorakhar river.

Updated on: Sep 10, 2017, 13:35:30 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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Nearly 40,000 people in central Assam’s Sonitpur district were caught unawares in the early hours of Sunday when flash floods suddenly submerged their homes.

Flood-affected people gather below a helicopter carrying relief materials in flooded areas of Sonitpur district of Assam. (Reuters file photo / Representational)

Thousands of people had to flee their homes leaving everything behind due to the sudden rise in the water level of the Jorakhar river. One person was washed away, officials said.

Many parts of Balipara town and nearly three dozen villages in Chariduar were affected and traffic movement on the national highway 15, which was inundated, remained closed for several hours.

“The water level in the river, which originates in Arunachal Pradesh, started rising suddenly around 3am. Several areas in Balipara and parts of NH-15 were under waist-deep water,” said Surjya Kamal Borah, circle officer of Chariduar.

Since there wasn’t heavy rainfall in the area, officials attributed the flash floods to possible landslides or damage to sluice gates in Arunachal Pradesh.

The area had witnessed similar flooding in June following a few hours of heavy rainfall and rise in water levels of the Mansiri and Jorakhar.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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