Flood-Hit Assam Family Forced to Cremate Centenarian on Tiny Dry Patch

Guwahati: Aitikou Tamuli lived 106 years. She died in the middle of a disaster. Floodwaters from the overflowing Bhogdoi River surged through the Alengmora area near Jorhat town, turning homes into islands. Knee-deep water filled courtyards. It pushed into living rooms.

The family needed to hold last rites. They found no dry ground. The entire locality sat underwater. Residents spent hours searching for a solution while the water continued to rise.

Villagers eventually spotted a small patch of land tucked under a tree on a pond bank. It remained above the surface. The family cremated Tamuli on that narrow strip of earth as the surrounding water stretched as far as the eye could see. Local residents noted the grim reality of the region, saying, "The family's house was also inundated, leaving no dry space nearby for the cremation."

This scene captures the humanitarian crisis hitting Upper Assam. Families deal with destroyed connections, flooded houses, and a desperate search for high ground.