Assam Floods: 'No Power, Shortage of Food; Silchar, My Home, Is Drowning'

The whole town is under water and there has been no electricity for the last four days.

The Silchar town in Assam's Cachar district is among the worst-affected areas.

(Image altered by The Quint/Aroop Mishra)

Video Producer: Varsha Rani
Video Editor: Rahul Sanpui

The flood situation in Assam is worsening by the day. My hometown, Silchar, is the worst hit.

I live in Silchar, which is in the southern part of Assam, with my husband and two children. The whole city has been under water since Sunday evening (19 June) and everything happened in a matter of seconds.

In our locality, all the shops are closed, and people are selling food items out on the roads. The main market is completely waterlogged and has been shut down. That is why people have come out on the roads to sell these items.

Houses flooded in Silchar.

(Image courtesy: Sumita Paul)

Food Shortage, Power Cut, and Poor Connectivity 

For the first three days, we faced a shortage of raw materials, but later, the
administration managed to procure that from other states. The prices, however, were too high. None of the vegetables were under Rs 100 (per kg); mineral water cans, for which we usually pay Rs 60 (wholesale), are now Rs 300.

There has been a shortage of candles as well. The entire town is under water and there's been no electricity for the last four days.

Electricity was supplied yesterday (23 June), but due to a short circuit in some areas, it went away in 30 minutes. We don’t have sufficient drinking water, and yesterday (23 June), we had to hire a generator to get water.

Schools flooded in Silchar.

(Image courtesy: Sumita Paul)

There is no network connectivity and we cannot reach out to the helpline numbers provided to us. We are completely helpless. I don’t know for how long we would have to endure this.

Rescue work in Silchar.

(Image courtesy: Sumita Paul)

Administration Has Failed Us

My parents live in the Malugram area of Silchar. The condition there is even worse. I went there to meet them yesterday (23 June) after four days with some essentials and medicines. It is not possible for them to step out at all.

Believe me, we are living in hell. Unless we get some help from the government, it would be impossible for us to get back to normal life again. People are moving from one place to another on small boats.

My parents are old and sick; they won’t be able to move out unless someone helps them. A month ago, when we were hit by a flood, thethe government did not take any action to repair the embankments.

The incessant rains in Mizoram and Manipur and the poor drainage system are responsible for the flood in our area right now. Whom do we blame?
The administration has failed in proving itself.

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