"All destroyed within seconds": July 19 floods leave Sivasagar families destitute, victims fight despair in makeshift tents
Sivasagar, August 5
Weeks after a sudden and violent flood devastated parts of Assam's Sivasagar district on July 19, many families remain displaced, forced to survive in makeshift tents on higher ground near the Bihubor daily market.
Kirpan Kurmi and his family, including his wife and two sons, had spent several sleepless nights following the loss of everything in the July 19 devastating flood, and the family is now taking shelter on higher ground near the Bihubor daily market area in Assam's Sivasagar district by making a small makeshift tent.
Bihubor, Nepali Khuti, Bihari Basti, and Railwayghat are among the worst affected areas in the July 19 flood in Sivasagar district.
"We didn't expect that such a huge flood would come. From July 18, incessant rainfall was happening, and no one thought that a huge flood would come. We were in our house, and our son was outside. Suddenly, huge water came and flooded our house as well as the area. The water washed away household goods. My wife drowned in water two times, we finally saved her. What I earned in my life, all destroyed within a second," Kirpan Kurmi, a resident of Bihubor Railwayghat area, told ANI.
He further said that, "We reached here only wearing clothes. All destroyed in front of us."
"We don't know what we will do. One of my eyes was damaged in an accident. I used to educate my son while working as a daily wage labourer with one eye. All our earnings, which were saved for our children, were washed away by flood waters. We appeal to the government to help us. Now we have no future. Now I have no power to rebuild all. This flood made us zero," Kirpan Kurmi said.
Describing his struggle, he also said that, "We are now residing here since 16-17 days. We have no bed, we don't know how many days we will have to stay here. We are having to sleep on the stone."
Faguni Kurmi, wife of Kirpan Kurmi, said that the flood destroyed all and they are now struggling to live. Not only Kirpan Kurmi and his family, but there are more than 300 families of that area who are also taking shelter at the location and living under makeshift tents.
The flood water has receded, but thick layers of mud and silt are still inside their houses, deposited by the receding waters.
The affected families who are living on the top of deposited stones are now struggling to rebuild their livelihood.
They even spent sleepless nights when rain came, and they are fearing another devastation.
Naren Rai, another flood victim, told ANI that they are still fearing.
"Flood completely destroyed my house. If the flood comes at night, then we all might be finished. I am 53 years old, and I had never seen this type of flood in my life," Naren Rai said.
Anjali Karmakar, another flood victim and resident of Bihubor 2 No Quarry, told ANI that when the water entered their home, she only concentrated on saving her children.
"When the water level reached my neck, my husband came and took my children on his shoulder and reached the roof of a nearby house. After that, we reached here by boat at night. We had lost everything in this flood," Anjali Karmakar said.
Maini Gowala, a Class 12 student, told ANI that, "I lost my books and education certificates in the flood. My teacher told me that the government will provide books, but we lost our home."
"We lost everything in this flood. We are now homeless. My brother saved us. We have been forced to sleep on stones. We are facing massive problems. My childrens are sick. My mother and I fell sick. We are daily wage labourers, and we have lost everything," Sita Gowala said.
According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 89 people have lost their lives in floods in Assam so far.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The story of Kirpan Kurmi's wife drowning twice is terrifying. Imagine sleeping on stones for 17 days with your family. This is not just a natural disaster, it's a failure of disaster preparedness in Assam. Climate change is real and our vulnerable communities are paying the price.
Sad state of affairs. 89 lives lost and hundreds displaced. The government should have permanent flood relief mechanisms in place for areas like Sivasagar that are prone to such disasters. Temporary tents aren't a solution, we need proper rehabilitation.
This is absolutely devastating. As someone who's seen flood relief efforts in other parts of the world, I can say that India needs to invest more in disaster-resilient infrastructure and early warning systems. These families deserve better than makeshift tents on gravel.
The image of that Class 12 student losing her books and certificates is so painful. Education is the only way out of poverty for these families, and floods are taking that away too. We need to think about long-term solutions like building raised platforms and flood-resistant housing.
While the government does provide some compensation, it's clearly not enough. These people lost everything they earned in their lifetime. We need to hold our local representatives accountable and ensure relief reaches the most vulnerable, not just those with connections.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.