Incessant rain causes unprecedented flood in Bajali

A Correspondent

PATHSALA: The unprecedented and devastating flood caused by incessant rain has inundated a large area. The Pathsala subdivisional civil hospital was submerged by floodwater and patients were shifted to Dharamshala. All the wards of Pathsala town have been affected by flood and most of the roads and residential areas have been submerged by unprecedented flood. On Tuesday, embankments in several parts like Maharani, Kenduguri and Kologuri were washed away by the Pahumara River. The APDCL office, PWD office, Irrigation office, Bajali HS School, Pathsala MV School, Pathsala College, Tapoban (child care home) and a number of business establishments and offices have been affected in the current wave of flood. The classes of various educational institutions have been cancelled due to the flood.

SDRF and Army were called for rescue operation in various places of the Bajali subdivision. The administration is working on a war footing to cope with the disaster. A high-level meeting was also held on Wednesday in the Deputy Commissioner’s office, Barpeta to discuss about the present flood situation of the district and preparedness to cope up with the situation. Various villages situated alongside the 127 Pathsala-Bhutan connecting National Highway were affected in the flood. Fisheries have also been affected by the flood. Many residential areas have been flooded by waist-deep water. People have shifted to safer places.

Meanwhile, with continuous rain since the last two days here, the improving flood situation once again deteriorated with the washing away of embankments of Kaldia River in various parts of Akaya and Uluwa. People in Akaya, Uluwa and surrounding areas are passing their days in fear. The floodwater poses threat to the historic Bhogeswar Temple connecting road. Floodwater flowing over the Swahid Madan Rowata road in a number of places has disrupted communication.

On Wednesday, flood water partially submerged the Swahid Madan Routa PWD Road at Golaghat Chowk of Nityananda, in Bichankuchi, in Kurobaha and in Akaya, which connects Patacharkuchi with Jalah Simla and Bhutan. The Kurobaha-Saderi connecting road has also been submerged by the flood water and communication disrupted. Flood water has created havoc in Akaya Nanda Supa, Saransupa, Dakshin Hati, Milar Chowk, Bayan Supa and Medhi Supa. The handloom centre situated at Nityananda has been submerged by floodwater. The locals informed that the Kaldia River has washed away the embankment in five places and flooded the entire area.

Red alert has been sounded by the Barpeta district administration following a sudden flood in the district after release of water from the Kurishu river dam of Bhutan. The sudden flood and following the red alert, fear psychosis prevails among people in various part of Bajali subdivision of Barpeta district. A high-level meeting was held in the Deputy Commissioner’s office conference hall to discuss about the situation. The administration has decided to shift people from the riverside of Pahumara and other rivers of the district following the report of more water to be released by Bhutan on Thursday morning at around 2.30 am. Teams of Army and SDRF have been deployed in rescue operation.

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