Assam Flood: Train services hit as river water submerges rail tracks

GUWAHATI: Train services on crucial railway routes in Upper Assam have been suspended after floodwaters from the overflowing Dikhow River submerged railway tracks and station premises at Simaluguri in Sivasagar district, severely disrupting rail operations in the region, officials said on Monday.

The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) officials said incessant rainfall in the upstream catchment areas triggered a sharp rise in the Dikhow River, leading to widespread flooding in Simaluguri town.

The floodwaters inundated the railway station yard, railway colony and adjoining tracks, making train movement unsafe.

As a precautionary measure, rail traffic has been suspended in the Simaluguri–Namtiali and Simaluguri–Selenghat sections until conditions improve.

Railway officials said the decision was taken to ensure passenger safety and prevent any operational risks arising from the inundated tracks. The disruption has also affected long-distance train services originating from Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.

These trains are being diverted through the Rangiya–Rangapara route to maintain connectivity, although the diversions are expected to result in delays.

Several passenger and local trains operating in the affected section have either been cancelled or short-terminated due to the prevailing conditions.

The NFR said emergency response teams have been mobilised and railway personnel, along with restoration equipment and essential materials, have already been deployed to the affected locations. However, repair work can commence only after the water level recedes sufficiently to allow a proper assessment of the damage.

Railway authorities said the situation is being monitored continuously by senior officials, with teams remaining on alert to restore normal operations at the earliest.

In an official statement, the NFR said the actual extent of damage to railway tracks and related infrastructure would be known only after floodwaters recede, making it difficult to estimate the time required for restoration.

The disruption in railway services comes as the flood situation across Assam continues to worsen, with swollen rivers inundating several districts, damaging transport infrastructure and affecting thousands of people amid persistent rainfall.

The Indian Army has launched 'Operation Jal Rahat' to support the Assam government in large-scale rescue and relief operations as worsening floods continue to inundate several parts of eastern Assam, severely affecting thousands of people across seven districts.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), the flood situation deteriorated significantly, with one person reported dead in Sivasagar district.

The latest casualty has taken the flood-related death toll in the state this year to five.

ASDMA data showed that more than 57,100 people have been affected across Charaideo, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Sivasagar, Tinsukia and Udalguri districts.

The number of affected people has risen sharply from around 24,000 recorded a day earlier.

Charaideo remains the worst-affected district, with nearly 24,000 people impacted, followed by Dhemaji, where over 22,000 residents are affected.

Dibrugarh has reported more than 4,000 affected people, while floodwaters have also affected parts of Jorhat, Sivasagar, Tinsukia and Udalguri.