Floodwaters recede in Assam, but challenges persist for flood-hit people

Goalpara (Assam) [India], July 18 (ANI): Despite the receding floodwaters in Assam, the hardships faced by the flood-hit residents are still going on.

In Goalpara district which is one of the worst hit districts in this year’s flood, many people are still living on roads, and embankments as the flood waters are still flooded in their houses.

Many farmers of the district have been affected after the flood waters of the Brahmaputra River damaged their crops and inundated a large number of crop areas.

Sanuar Hussain, a farmer of Pachim Kathuri village of Goalpara district, told ANI that, he took a loan from the bank for farming, but the flood waters damaged all crops.

“Flood is still here and we have been living on this road for the last 15 days. There is 5-feet deep water still inside my house. The flood waters damaged all my crops. Now I have no money. I don’t know how I can repay my loan amount. If the government will not waive the loan, then we will die. We have lots of problems due to the flood. Many household goods were damaged in the flood,” Sanuar Hussain said.

He further said that many villagers are also taking shelter on the road.

Anuwara Khatun, a flood victim of Pachim Kathuri village said that her family is now living in a makeshift tent.

“We can’t go back to our house because it is still flooded. We couldn’t able to take out our household goods when the flood waters entered our house. My husband is a daily wage labourer, but now he hasn’t been able to find any work during flood time,” Anuwara Khatun said.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 97 people died during this year’s flood in the state so far.

The flood situation is improving across the state and the water levels of the rivers are also receding, but 3.55 lakh people in 14 districts are still affected by the deluge.

823 villages under 37 revenue circles are still under water.