The first spell of floods this monsoon has begun taking a heavy toll in Assam, with more than 22,000 people affected across six districts after days of relentless rainfall in the state and neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, as per officials.
Rising water levels have not only inundated villages and farmland but have also disrupted rail connectivity after a railway bridge suffered severe erosion, forcing authorities to suspend train operations on a key route until further notice. According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 22,124 people have been impacted by the floods in Dhemaji, Nalbari, Dibrugarh, Chirang, Lakhimpur and Kokrajhar districts. Dhemaji has emerged as the worst-hit district, where 15,483 people are battling the impact of rising floodwaters.
Railway bridge damaged, train services suspended
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) announced that train movement between Archipathar and Simen Chapari stations has been suspended indefinitely after heavy flooding and riverbank erosion destabilised one of the piers of a railway bridge. A spokesperson of the NFR said that on account of flooding and bank erosion affecting the railway bridge at KM 408/11-13, the section between Archipathar and Simen Chapari stations has been suspended for train operation.
"This bridge, constructed in 1965, and later converted to broad gauge, was in good and safe condition, but due to washing away of a large portion of the river bank during the heavy rains, one of its piers became unstable," the NFR said in a statement.
Officials clarified that no train was damaged and no injuries were reported. Since the affected stretch is a low-traffic branch line, train movement had already been stopped as a precaution because of the swollen river. "Movement of trains on the route between Murkongselek and Silapathar under the Tinsukia division will remain suspended until further notice. Trains on this route will be short-terminated and short-originated from Silapathar," the statement said.
The railway authorities have arranged buses to transport passengers between Murkongselek and Silapathar. Help desks have also been set up at Dhemaji, Silapathar and Murkongselek railway stations to assist stranded passengers. The NFR said it is continuously monitoring the situation in coordination with district authorities and the Assam government.
