Train services between Archipathar and Simen Chapari stations in Assam’s Dhemaji district have been suspended due to severe flooding and riverbank erosion that affected a railway bridge. The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) stated that train movement on the Murkongselek–Silapathar route under the Tinsukia Division will remain suspended until further notice. More than 110 mm of rainfall in and around Dhemaji district led to the flooding and severe riverbank erosion near the railway bridge. The bridge, constructed in 1965 and later converted to broad gauge, was in good condition but became unstable due to the washing away of a large portion of the riverbank during the heavy rains. No train was damaged, and no injuries were reported.
Since the branch line carries low traffic, train operations had already been suspended as a precaution due to rising floodwaters. Help desks have been set up at Dhemaji, Silapathar, and Murkongselek railway stations to assist passengers. The situation is being closely monitored by NFR in coordination with the district administration and the state government.
The flood situation in Dhemaji worsened after the Dikari River overflowed, inundating low-lying areas, residential localities, roads, and agricultural fields, disrupting normal life across the district. At least 15 people were stranded on a riverine char at Koraibari after a sudden rise in the river’s water level, and nearly 100 cattle are also reportedly marooned on the char. Four revenue circles – Jonai, Sissiborgaon, Dhemaji, and Gogamukh – have been affected by the floods, with a total of 15,483 people affected.
Jonai Revenue Circle is the worst hit, with 10,248 affected residents. Nearly 1,263 hectares of cropland have been submerged, and around 43,098 livestock have also been affected, although no animal deaths have been reported. No human casualties or missing persons have been reported so far, and no houses have been damaged in the affected revenue circles.
