Over 22,000 Hit by Assam Floods as Rail Bridge Suffers Partial Collapse

Guwahati: The first wave of floods this season has affected more than 22,000 people across six districts of Assam following days of incessant rainfall in the state and neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, officials said on Monday.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), a total of 22,124 people have been impacted in the districts of Dhemaji, Nalbari, Dibrugarh, Chirang, Lakhimpur and Kokrajhar.

Dhemaji remains the worst-affected district, with 15,483 people facing the brunt of the flooding as continuous rainfall has inundated large parts of the region.

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Officials said floodwaters have submerged 96 villages and damaged nearly 1,690 hectares of agricultural land, affecting standing crops and disrupting the livelihoods of thousands of farmers.

The latest ASDMA flood bulletin stated that the Disang River is flowing above the danger mark at Nanglamuraghat in Sivasagar district, raising concerns of further flooding in low-lying areas if heavy rainfall persists.

The floods have also taken a toll on livestock, with 48,199 animals reported to have been affected.

In a separate development, heavy rain and riverbank erosion led to the partial collapse of a railway bridge over the Simen River in Dhemaji district, disrupting rail connectivity in the region.

According to the Chief Public Relations Officer of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), more than 110 mm of rainfall in and around Dhemaji triggered severe flooding and erosion near the bridge.

As a precaution, train services between Archipathar and Simen Chapari stations have been suspended until further notice.

Railway officials said the bridge, originally constructed in 1965 and later upgraded to broad gauge, had remained structurally stable. However, continuous erosion washed away a significant portion of the riverbank, weakening one of the bridge's supporting piers.

Authorities are closely monitoring the evolving flood situation as rainfall continues across several parts of Assam and adjoining Arunachal Pradesh. District administrations have been directed to remain on high alert and take all necessary precautionary measures to deal with any further worsening of the situation.

With inputs from IANS