GUWAHATI, June 24 - For many flood- affected persons in Barak Valley, railway stations turned out to be places of refuge during the deluge.
Railway authorities provided not only shelter to the flood-affected people at the stations, but also made provision for food and water.
Officials of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) said that stations like Katakhal, Amabasa, Algapur and Salchapra became islands of shelter for marooned people.
�The flood caused immense despair among people of the region. Several stations become islands of shelter for the affected people. Barak river surpassed its previous highest flood level, flowing at 21 metres and making Katakhal, Amabasa, Algapur and Salchapra stations the only available places for refuge.
More than 1,600 people took shelter in these stations. In Katakhal station alone, about 1,200 people took shelter since the night of June 15. Railway authorities provided 110 cartons of bottled water, baby-food, rice and other food items among the marooned people,� Pranav Jyoti Sharma, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of NFR, told The Assam Tribune.
A total of 1,230 food packets, besides drinking water, were distributed among people at Manu, Mungiakami, Badarpur, Salchapra and Algapur stations.
�Motor trolleys were pressed into service to rescue the stranded people. Despite the danger of railway tracks being submerged under water, the officers and staff of Badarpur area office under Area Manager S Umesh pushed several consignments on motor trolleys to provide medicine and relief material to the flood-affected people,� Sharma said.
At Silchar Railway Station, 15 spare coaches were placed in the loop line for people to take temporary shelter as their houses were inundated. About 50 families took shelter in the coaches till the flood water receded.
�The Medical Department was put on high alert for outbreak of diseases once the flood waters receded. The department took preventive measures and is stocking up for any eventuality,� informed the NFR CPRO.
Unprecedented rain in Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, Karimganj and Cachar districts as well as parts of Tripura since June 14 had wrecked havoc on the Lumding�Badarpur hill section, the Badarpur�Silchar section, and the Badarpur�Agartala section of NFR.
The railway line was disrupted at eight places. Train service from the rest of the country to Barak Valley, Mizoram and Tripura was snapped due to the floods, but was subsequently restored.
