Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Villages along the Subansiri River in Assam faced sudden flooding on Monday after the NHPC-operated 2,000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project released massive amounts of water. The project at Gerukamukh dumped 12,057.24 cumecs into the river by 10 am. This output, labeled a High Discharge, jumped significantly from the 11,275.03 cumecs recorded just one hour earlier.
Floodwaters hammered Ghunasuti, Naharani, Ghagar Kalakhowa, and Sagalikota. Residents fled to raised stilt houses to escape the surge. The destruction hit hard. "The water level rose suddenly from around 7 am. The flash flood swept away our livestock and poultry," one resident said.
Official safety standards suggest the river can only handle 7,000 cumecs before flooding hits. Monday's flow blew past that limit by more than 5,000 cumecs. Data from the District Disaster Management Authority confirmed heavy inflows from Arunachal Pradesh, measuring 3,276.78 cumecs at Daporijo and 8,968.26 cumecs at Tamen. N. Mohammad, a project consultant, pinned the surge on high volumes coming from upstream.
The dam currently holds at 188 metres. Operators lack permission from the National Dam Safety Authority to reach the designed 205-metre level. Officials confirmed 20 revenue villages in the Mohaijan area face flooding. The district administration also flagged high erosion risks for Na-Ali, Ghancharai, Tini Suti, Khoga, and Jugalpur. Authorities continue to monitor the area as rainfall persists in upstream Arunachal Pradesh.
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