Assam Floods: Sivasagar survivors recount harrowing escapes

Survivors of the devastating floods in Assam's worst-hit Sivasagar district are returning to homes buried in silt and debris, recounting harrowing escapes as they begin the long process of rebuilding their lives.

Septuagenarian couple Mukul and Bonti Bezbora spent nearly 12 hours atop a wooden divan floating inside their flooded home before being rescued by boat on July 20.

The retired professor and his wife were forced to watch helplessly as floodwaters swept through their home in Nazira town, overturning their refrigerator and almirahs and destroying nearly all their belongings.

"We heard the sound of a raging torrent around 8 pm, there was commotion outside. My wife and I climbed on an old wooden divan we had, where we stored old quilts. The stuff inside was wringing wet while the divan itself was floating with us on top," Bezbora told PTI.

The couple returned home after the waters receded to find their house filled with mud and debris. Two truckloads of waste were removed, but several inches of silt remained.

"We don't know if we will be able to salvage anything at all," said Bezbora, who has lived in Nazira since 1992.

He said he had never witnessed such a massive flood in the area and expressed concern for families who had lost their livelihoods.

"I have some means to put my life back together. My son has also come. But there are many who are still reeling under the flood and have lost even their livelihood," he said, urging the authorities to speed up rehabilitation efforts.

In Sivasagar's ONGC Colony, Madhusmita Borthakur faced a similar ordeal when floodwaters rapidly inundated the area while her husband was away on field duty.

Trapped at home with her nine-year-old and three-year-old daughters, Borthakur eventually managed to get into an open van and took refuge at a friend's house with her children.

"My husband was away on field duty and was not to return for another week. Though we were relatively safe, I got scared as the water continued to rise with great speed. I didn't have anyone to fall back on if there was any emergency," she said.

For families living away from the affected areas, the floods also brought days of uncertainty as communication links were disrupted.

A police personnel posted in Guwahati said he was unable to contact his sister-in-law and nephew after their area near Simaluguri railway station was inundated and railway tracks were damaged. He finally heard from his nephew two days later.

The floods pushed the death toll in Assam this year to 68 and affected more than six lakh people at their peak.

As floodwaters recede, survivors now face the daunting task of clearing debris, repairing damaged homes and recovering from the trauma left by the disaster.