Written by Programmes Team

High rainfall in the catchment areas of the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers exacerbated by the release of water from dams in Bhutan lead to flooding across the state of Assam. The first government Situation Report was released last Junte 24th. ADRA India targeted the communities in Barpeta and Darrang Districts. For the initial phase of the response, ADRA India worked with cash assistance through a Cash for Work program for 600 families and provided the necessary supplies to provide clean drinking water to households immediate need: Cash transfer, safe drinking water, ORS, emergency sanitation, impregnated mosquito nets, tarpaulins, hygiene kits, assist with repair and also reconstruction of houses.

Many of the rivers in Assam are still flowing above danger levels and people have been marooned and displace on high ground and embankments for more than a month. In the district where ADRA is working, Barpeta, flooding is expected to persist for at least another month with possibilities of the flood worsening as rain continues to fall and water is released from dams in Bhutan.

Makeshift latrines have been installed over the water, and tube wells are currently at a high risk of contamination. Living conditions of people are precarious. Many houses have been washed away in areas where the embankments have breached. Crops and livelihood of the people have been severely impacted with up to 60% of agricultural land under water in some of the areas where ADRA is working.

There is a lot of long term work to be done once the water recedes and people start to rebuild their lives. ADRA India had planned to work in shelter reconstruction and also in the recovery phase of emergencies to "build back better" incorporating DRR (disaster risk reduction) elements into shelter designs. Rehabilitating tube wells in a way that reduces the risk of contamination and assisting with livelihood recovery in a way that can increase the resilience of communities to future flooding.