Over 1,800 shelter in Sarupathar relief camps as floods ravage 25 villages in Golaghat
Sarupathar administration sets up camps for flood-hit families, ensuring rations, health services and livestock support
Health check-up in a relief camp in Sarupathar (AT Image)
Sarupathar, Sept 18: Upper Assam is reeling under severe floods, with several districts hit by embankment breaches that have submerged crops, homes, and livestock. In Sarupathar, Golaghat, the swelling Doyang and Dhansiri rivers have inundated 25 villages, displacing nearly 2,000 people.
As conditions worsen, seven relief camps have been set up, sheltering over 1,800 residents.
The Sorupathar administration has provided shelter to over 400 families in these camps. Along with rice, pulses, and oil for cooking, drinking water facilities and fodder for livestock have been arranged. Medical teams have also been deployed to ensure health check-ups for the affected.
Deputy Commissioner of Sarupathar, Manasjyoti Nath, said, "We have opened seven relief camps where around 400 families—nearly 1,800 people—are currently staying. For farmers whose crops have been damaged, benefits under the Agricultural Crop Insurance Scheme and disaster management compensation will be extended."
Inside the camps, however, the voices of distress are loud and clear. Women and children are among the most affected, with families struggling to adjust to cramped conditions.
"We have been given rice and pulses to eat here, but what will happen when we return home? Our fields are destroyed, our homes are damaged, and this is the third time this year we are forced to live in a relief camp," said a woman.
The situation has been worsened by the release of water from the Doyang Hydro Electric Project by NEEPCO that has led to severe flooding in several parts of the district.
Another flood victim added, "Our children cannot go to school, our self-help group work has stopped, and roads are broken. The administration should have informed us before releasing water from the dam. We are safe in the camp now, but the future worries us."
The Bilgaon Amguri area of Barpathar has also been badly hit, with around 100 families seeking refuge. Rescue teams continue to assist stranded villagers as water levels show little sign of receding.
While the relief camps are providing immediate respite, many flood-affected families fear the recurring cycle of displacement will leave them with no sustainable way to rebuild their lives.