Over 500 Families Live On Train Tracks As Assam Floods Affect 8 Lakh

As Assam battles flood fury, over 500 families from two villages of the Jamunamukh district, are living on the railway tracks, the only high ground that did not submerge in the floodwaters.

People from Changjurai and Patia Pathar village have been left in the lurch after they lost almost everything they had in the floods. The villagers, who have taken refuge under temporary shreds made of tarpaulin sheets, claim they have not received much help from the state government and district administration over the last five days.

43-year-old Monwara Begum is living under a temporary shred along with her family after their home in Patia Pathar village was destroyed in floods. Four other families from have also joined them to survive the floods. They all are living under the same sheet in inhumane conditions, with almost no food.

“For three days we were under the open sky, we then took some money on credit and bought this tarpaulin sheet. We are five families living under the same sheet, there is no privacy,” said Monwara Begum.

Beauty Bordoloi’s family is also living in a tarpaulin sheet after losing their home in Changjurai village. “Our harvest-ready paddy crop was destroyed in floods. The situation remains uncertain as it is very difficult to survive like this,” she told NDTV.

“The situation here is extremely challenging, there is no source of safe drinking water, we eat only once a day. We have only received some flatten rice over the last four days,” said Ms Bordoloi’s relative Sunanda Doloi.

“We got help from government yesterday after four days. They gave us little rice, dal and oil. But some have not received even that,” Nasibur Rehman, another flood victim from Patia Pathar told NDTV.

The flood situation in Assam remains grave, with over 8 lakh people across 2,585 villages in 29 districts hit by the natural disaster. Fourteen people have died in the floods and landslides triggered by pre-monsoon rains.

As many as 86,772 people have taken shelter in 343 relief camps, while another 411 relief distribution centres are also operational. The Army, paramilitary forces, and national and state disaster relief forces have evacuated 21,884 people from various flood-hit areas using boats and helicopters.