A routine visit to her maternal home turned into a nightmare for 43‑year‑old Manoshi Goswami when she and her seven‑year‑old daughter were trapped in floodwaters in Nazira, Sivasagar district, on 10 July. The pair had left Sundarpukhuri village to visit relatives in Golaghat, about 100 km away, but heavy rain the night before caused water levels to rise rapidly. Goswami’s 85‑year‑old mother, Bulu, was at home when water entered the house; she was forced to sit on a chair placed on the bed as the water rose to her ankles and then her knees, and the bed shook violently, leaving her terrified.
Goswami and her family reported that the flood inundated the village in 30–45 minutes, preventing them from salvaging valuables. She, her husband Nituparna Rajabongshi and her sister repeatedly called the State Disaster Response Force, the Assam Disaster Management website and the fire department, but most helplines were unreachable. The fire department, which is tasked with rescue under the Assam State Disaster Management Plan 2022 and the Sivasagar Flood Contingency Plan 2026, did not respond to the local team, leaving the family stranded for several days.
Other residents echoed similar experiences. Sundarpukhuri resident Navajyoti Kalita said most people were evacuated by family or neighbours, and that a disaster response team arrived only after two days, leaving those on the terrace without help. Kalita also recounted a six‑month‑old baby separated from its mother during rising waters. Women faced additional hardships, such as lack of privacy for menstrual hygiene, and the elderly struggled to access toilets or food.
Experts and local leaders highlighted the secondary hazards of floods, including disease spread, lack of sanitation and the vulnerability of elderly and children. RedR India’s executive director Puthumai A. Nazarene urged community‑based preparedness and decentralised response, while environmental scholar Nabajit Hazarika called for improved healthcare and sanitation systems. Goswami has submitted an action plan to the district, proposing community volunteers, a local contingency fund and stronger communication infrastructure to better manage future disasters.
