Massive erosion by the Brahmaputra over the past week has washed away at least five houses and a temple in Tengabari Mirigaon near Dibrugarh, leaving several other buildings teetering on the riverbank and forcing families to flee their homes. The affected stretch includes Bindhakota, the birthplace of Union minister and former Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Local officials say the losses and ongoing slippage have accelerated in April, raising fears ahead of the June monsoon.
Villagers say repeated bank cutting has displaced families and ruined agricultural land. “We are living in a state of constant fear,” said Joyraj Mili, a resident, adding that if erosion is this severe in April when water levels are comparatively low, the community may face much worse damage during peak monsoon months.
The state water resources department has installed thousands of geo-bags and reinforced cement concrete (RCC) porcupine screens — concrete barriers intended to deflect currents — along the Bindhakota belt. Those measures, however, have largely failed to hold back the river. “The geo-bags are being washed away like toys,” said villager Bisarju Pegu, whose home now stands less than ten metres from the collapsing edge. He and others are demanding permanent, science-based solutions rather than short-term fixes and want the government to treat the situation as an emergency.
With erosion already active in April, families whose houses now hang on the brink have begun dismantling their dwellings to salvage tin sheets, timber and other belongings and move to higher ground. The visible damage and mounting anxiety underline the limits of existing protections and the urgent need for durable erosion control, relocation planning and relief measures for vulnerable riverine communities.
Original Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/bputra-erosion-wipes-out-houses-temple-at-tengabari-mirigaon/articleshow/130332335.cms
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Publish Date: 2026-04-17 17:46:00
