The 2012 Brahmaputra floods are unprecedented flood event along the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries due to significant monsoon rains in India, Bangladesh and Myanmar. 124 people have been killed by the flooding and landslides and about six million people have been displaced in Assam. The worst hit areas always happen to be in Assam state in India. The flood had also significantly affected Kaziranga National Park, 540 animals have died including 13 rhinos. During the monsoon season (June–October), floods are a common occurrence in India. However, 2012 flood has been recorded as the worse flood during 10 years. It has affected 23 districts of Assam.
Altogether 1000 villages from 23 districts are affected. The name of the districts are: Jorhat, Tinsukia, Darrang, Bongaigaon, Kamrup (Metro), Golaghat, Cachar, Kokrajhar, Nalbari, Sonitpur, Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, Nagaon, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Dhubri, Kamrup(Rural), Karimganj, Hailakandi, Morigaon, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji and Goalpara. Amongst these Dhemaji is the most worstly affected District and Dima Hasao as the most neglected District.
EMEREGENCY FLOOD RELIEF IN DHEMAJI:
On the 29th June 2012, the ADC Dhemaji had a talk with the Executive Director over phone telling him the need for immediate response and NEICORD was requested to. So an emergency meeting was held and a team was selected to go to the field and distribute the materials. On 30th June 2012, NEICORD’s Emergency relief team travelled towards Dhemaji under difficult situation. On 1st NEICORD and local partner Church DBCA had jointly formed Relief committee which consist of 16 members from Dhemaji Baptist Christian Association, Believer Church Machkhow, Missing Baptist Kabang and NEICORD. The next day the relief team met the DC for permission. Accordingly, Relief operation which was started from 2nd to 20th July 2012 has been a great success. Relief materials such as food rice, dal, oil salt, bucket, mug, soap Bed Sheet and Mosquito nets were distributed to 2350 worst affected families. Besides the relief committee 11 Volunteers 11 and NDRF team have also provided their support during the material distribution
The local partners DBCA and Believers Church, Machkhowa, worked co-ordinately with NEICORD for the delivery of the relief materials to the most affected flood victims of Dhemaji District, The relief team had continuous collaboration with IGSSS and World vision
The National Disaster Respond Force (NDRF) also worked together where they had Rescue demonstration and gave Post Flood Awareness to the beneficiaries. There was a positive response from the beneficiaries as well as from the District Administration and Block circle of Machkhowa
The relief team had series of meetings with the following government officials and timely support was received from them-
- The team met Deputy Commissioner the highest in the Dhemaji district to enquire about the affected area in Dhemaji district and where NEICORD can help. The Deputy Commissioner entrusted MR. Saikia Additional Deputy Commissioner to work along with the team and the team were given two blocks to work at namely “Sissiburigaon” and “Machkhowa block”
- The team met Additional Deputy Ccommissioner Saikia for permission to distribute the relief materials in Sissiburgaon and Machkhowa ,
- The team also met the Circle Officer Sissiburgaon and Machkhowa block to collect the list of affected villages
- After getting permission, the Material was Checked and Certified by the Mr.S.S Doley Senior. Food Safety Officer
- After getting the list of affected villages the team also met village headman and ward member to verify the beneficiary list where the Circle Officer certified it.
- The team also met Police Officer In-charge Machkhowa for arrangement of security during distribution
During the visit of DC office Dhemaji the team met Mr. Mukul Pandey Captain NDRF team and coordinated to work together where they can do Rescue demonstration and give Post Flood Awareness to the beneficiaries
EMEREGENCY FLOOD RELIEF IN DAIMA HASAO DISTRICT
Jinam valley which falls under North Cachar Hills district is known as Dima Hasao Autonomous District Council which is one of the least attended areas in Assam in term of development. Due to incessant rainfall in Assam, Barak River which is one of the Tributaries Rivers of Brahmaputra caused overflowing of flood water in Cachar areas in June – July 2012. As a result, in Leiri village 2 minor children have lost their lives and 78 families houses damaged and 31 families have lost their paddy due to flash flood.
As per NEICORD partner’s reports, 362 households are badly affected in 6 villages of Jinam valley in Lakhipur sub division are cut off due to landslide. The most affected areas under Hnachangzawl, Boro Arkap, Muollien, Leiri, Tatte and Jinam Ghat, border of Cachar and Dima Hasoa District, Assam. The immediate need of the flood disaster survivors includes Food, Drinking water and Shelter. Due to the isolation of the villages the community’s problem are hardly attended and their cried are unheard.
300 households got food (25 kg Rice, 1 kg dal, 1 kg salt, 1 ltr oil) and non-food items (1 Mosquito net, 1 bucket, 1 mug, 3 pcs bathing soap, 3 pcs washing soap and water purifier for 3 months. To each target family) start restoring their family. The execution of flood relief programme in Dima Hasao district of Assam for 200 households would not have been successful if there was no proper coordination with the District administration, Revenue Circle Office of Cachar, Reformed Presbyterian Church (RPCNEI) and the community. The effective and proper coordination played as a catalyst which has contributed the systematic and progressive flow of the services that NEICORD has rendered during the programme. Coordination has further more facilitated in achieving the purpose and goals of the agency. Relief committee was set up of 10 people. The relief committee consist of 4 members from RPC, 3 members from Evangelical Free Church of India, 1 member from Presbyterian Church of India and 2 from NEICORD
NEICORD is a member of Inter Agency Group Assam which coordinates emergency situation in Assam. NGO coordination meetings are being attended by NEICORD to avoid duplication and to share & learn from other agencies.
We expressed our deepest gratitude to Tear Australia, Tear UK, CRWRC, World Relief and Humanitarian International Services Group and local churches who supported the emergency relief operations and our local partners, volunteers and the government officials working with us in this relief operation