One vehicle plunges 100 feet; roads submerged, properties damaged
A night of relentless downpour on June 17 has led to landslides, flash floods, and significant damage in and around Bhandari town and Merapani village, disrupting normal life and raising concerns over public safety and infrastructure resilience.
Despite prior monsoon preparedness efforts by the public in Bhandari, including routine cleaning and clearance drives over recent weeks, the sheer intensity of rainfall overwhelmed the town’s defences. Mud floods and landslides have blocked roads and damaged local infrastructure.
The district administration said efforts are underway to clear debris, repair drainage systems, and restore damaged roads. Officials assured that all necessary steps are being taken to minimize further disruption and address public safety concerns.
Meanwhile, ADC Bhandari also informed that in the event of the torrential rain and landslides, some private buildings and properties were partly damaged.
SDPO Bhandari also informed that in the morning hours of 18th June, one Bolero Pick-Up bearing registration number, NL05-G 0420 skidded off the road while trying to navigate a landslide area and fell about 100 feet below the road at Tsumang ward, towards Merapani from Bhandari. The owner of the vehicle Fazul, his driver and one woman passenger who sustained injuries was shifted to Golaghat hospital for treatment.
The Merapani Village Council informed that the heavy rainfall caused flash floods in the Foothill areas and Merapani Village, stating that due to overflooding of the Marachu river, the main road of Merapani and the near-by areas got inundated with water, and in some areas water raised to more than seven feet from the ground level.
The council also informed that the flood has caused damage of the main road by causing crack measuring about 30 feet and therefore, appealed to the concerned authorities to look into the matter to prevent further damage.
ADC Bhandari urged and appealed the public to keep check on water logging and potential health hazards facilities to prevent outbreak of water-borne and Vector-borne diseases, Malaria and other epidemics during the sub-tropical summer season.