Assam has been rightly called a miniature India because of its ethnic and linguistic diversity, natural resources, and the fact that it hosts various tribes residing in remote hills.
Even though historically the state of Assam has ranked among the most urbanized of India's states, it has been afflicted by various misfortunes recently. In addition, torrential rains and floods in the monsoon months destroy all the capital and development the state manages to produce all year.
The revered Brahmaputra has many meanings to the diverse communities of the state. But the river has also brought curses to the state. The river Brahmaputra divides Assam into two regions; North and South. This long and narrow river divides an entire state and is also very unstable. It changes its direction a lot.
Floods are not a new occurrence in Assam. Throughout history, the Brahmaputra has been prone to floods. There are several natural, hydrometeorological, and anthropogenic causes. Researchers have claimed that since the 1950s, a large earthquake caused much more instability in the Northeast. The state has become flood-prone because of the instability and newly arising man-made causes.
Each year, flooding claims hundreds of lives and affects millions. Assam has experienced 12 major floods since the year 1950, with the frequency being consistent in recent years, and the situation is only getting grimmer by the minute.
What adds to this misery? Climate Change.
Climate change is the evident cause of natural calamities ravaging lives around the globe. The adverse effects of Climate Change can not be denied anymore. And for those living in Assam and the surrounding areas, the impacts of Climate Change are evident.
The states in the North-East region are Assam, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Kerala, and parts of the U.P and Bihar. Whenever Assam is hit with floods, these neighboring states suffer as well. These states have faced major sudden changes in their weather, especially these dry states like U.P and Bihar. The most radical change takes place in Kerala. In the past, Kerala has experienced droughts, water shortages, and poor rainfalls. However, Kerala's weather suddenly changes when Assam is hit by floods. There is a sweeping transition from water scarcity to heavy rainfalls, droughts to minor floods.
These are the direct impacts of Climate Change. And in such states, the rainfall is harsh. The land, the people, and the livestock are not accustomed to such changes. And although the rainfall in these states caused by the weather in Assam is harsh, it is also periodic. This means that Kerala will face sudden rainfall one day, and in the next few days, the scarcity of water will emerge again, leading to yet another water crisis. This makes it a rather unique situation for the people living around Assam.
THE EMBANKMENTS.
Embankments are the walls constructed on the banks of rivers to control the flow of the rivers by directing them in a particular way and to prevent flooding in the nearby regions. Historically, people have believed embankments to be the most efficient way to prevent floods.
But the major flaw that remained unacknowledged by the officials is that when you try to restrict a river flow by narrowing it down and reducing its area, then the speed of the flow will increase along with an increase in the water level.
Therefore, if these embankments are not maintained properly, then the levels will keep rising to a point when the river will start flowing above the embankments. Therefore, these embankments are reconstructed strongly before the monsoon season.
THE PEOPLE AFFECTED.
Millions of people are affected by the floods in Assam every year, while hundreds lose their lives. This year, reports have indicated that since April, 83 people have been killed in the flood, while 17 others have lost their lives in landslides. And as many as 5 million people, including 1 million children from 4,000 villages have been affected.
Every day, new statements from people who survive these misfortunes emerge, people who lost their everything just hours ago.
"There was water everywhere, but not a single drop to drink." – Ronju Chowdhary, who lives in Udiana, a remote village in Assam, describes the horror she witnessed outside her house.
"There is no drinking water in the camp. My son has a fever, but I am unable to take him to the doctor," says Husna Begum, a 28-year-old woman who swam through the torrent in search of help and is now sheltering in a plastic tent with her two children.
"We are surrounded by flood water from all sides. There's hardly any water to drink. Food is running short too. And now I hear that the water levels are further rising, what will happen to us?” – another survivor says.
WHAT WE’RE DOING?
We see and hear with heavy hearts about these people affected by the floods. So, to help the grieving Assamese people, The Child Help Foundation did everything in its ability to share the suffering and help the people with necessities like food and water.
The Child Help Foundation volunteers are relentlessly working in Nalbari and Darrang districts to provide food relief and support to the affected population. We tried our best to follow the motto, that sharing sadness lessens the grief. So, we provide the people with emergency ration kits, and sanitation and hygiene kits. Each kit contains groceries, grains, packaged food, mustard oil, sanitary napkins, and mosquito racquets.
We hope that together we can help Assam get back on its feet.
What Can We Do To Help?
It doesn’t need to be said that in times like these, whatever we do will not be able to help these people get over the trouble. So that’s why The Child Help Foundation urges you to come forward to save the lives of our neighbors and friends in Assam.
Your generous contributions could go a long way for the people in Assam, who are in a dire need of help. We ask you to keep in mind, that whatever contributions you make to help the people in Assam, won’t go futile, and will be appreciated throughout life.
Donate Now To Help Revive Assam!