A flash flood triggered by overnight heavy rainfall in the hills of neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh caused the Singra River to breach its right-bank embankment on Thursday, inundating several villages under the newly constituted Ranganadi Legislative Assembly Constituency (LAC) in Assam’s Lakhimpur district.
According to local reports, the embankment gave way at Phoolbari Basti in the early hours of the day, allowing floodwaters to gush into Bharaluwa Kachari, Doolahat and other nearby villages under the Nowboicha Revenue Circle.
The sudden surge in water altered the river’s course, with the Singra carving out a new channel through inhabited areas. Floodwaters submerged village roads, agricultural land, schools and residential localities, leaving large parts of the area under water.
Several families were stranded after rising water surrounded their homes, disrupting daily life and affecting road connectivity in the flood-hit villages.
Residents said the water level rose rapidly, leaving little time for people to move to safer places. They also expressed concern over the extensive damage caused by the river’s sudden change in course.
The Singra River has a history of causing destruction during the monsoon. In 2020, it breached its embankment near National Highway-15, triggering severe flooding and erosion in the Doolahat region.
The latest breach has once again highlighted the fragile condition of the embankment and the recurring flood threat faced by communities living along the Singra River.
District authorities are monitoring the situation, while a detailed assessment of damage to infrastructure, houses and crops is yet to be carried out.
