A three-hour downpour on Wednesday morning caused extensive waterlogging across half of Dibrugarh, exposing the city's inadequate drainage infrastructure just days after the southwest monsoon arrived in Assam. The heavy rainfall, which began at 7 am, inundated 11 of the city's 22 wards, transforming major roads into rivers and forcing residents to wade through knee-deep water in several neighborhoods.
First Major Rainfall Since Monsoon Onset
This deluge marks the first significant rainfall event since the southwest monsoon reached Assam on June 7. The impact was most visible on Mancotta Road, one of Dibrugarh's busiest thoroughfares, where knee-deep water accumulated near the Thana Chariali Flyover due to overflowing drains. Other key arteries including AT Road, VKV Road, Jail Road, RKB Road, Zig Zag Road, HS Road, KC Gogoi Road, Rotary Road, Red Cross Road, Cole Road, Jhalukpara Road, KP Road, PN Road, and Convoy Road also experienced varying degrees of waterlogging, crippling morning movement across the city.
Residential Areas Severely Affected
Residential areas bore an equally severe brunt. Families in Graham Bazar, Khalihamari, West Milannagar, Jiban Phukan Nagar, Lachit Nagar, and Chowkidinghee waded through floodwaters to carry out routine tasks. In neighborhoods including Santipara, Khaniagaon, Gangapara, Padum Nagar, Lakhi Nagar, and Guardpara, water entered homes, causing distress among residents.
Municipal Corporation Response
Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation (DMC) commissioner in-charge Navas Das attributed the flash flood to an exceptionally intense precipitation burst. “The city recorded over 100 mm of rainfall in just three hours on Wednesday morning which directly resulted in the waterlogging. We have deployed high-power water pumps to drain the accumulated water into the Brahmaputra River and we expect the situation to be cleared up by afternoon,” Das said.
Residents Blame Poor Drainage Maintenance
Residents said years of poor drainage maintenance and rampant plastic pollution have left the city dangerously ill-equipped to handle even a single heavy spell. The Dibrugarh Town Protection (DTP) Drain, the city's primary stormwater channel designed to carry rainwater into the Brahmaputra, has been severely compromised by debris accumulation and encroachment. Choked and narrowed, the drain failed to perform its core function Wednesday morning, causing water to spill back onto streets and into homes.
“This happens every year. The drains are clogged with plastic garbage and water hyacinth and nobody clears them before the monsoon. We are the ones who suffer,” said a frustrated Graham Bazar resident.
