Flash Floods Inundate Greater Kaziranga, Renew Alarm Over Hill Cutting and Deforestation

A massive flash flood in Kohora and the greater Kaziranga area triggered panic among residents after torrents of water flowing down from the adjoining hills of Karbi Anglong inundated large stretches, including residential premises and school buildings.

The area has been witnessing heavy rainfall since Tuesday night. The sudden surge of water from the nearby hills has raised fresh concerns over the impact of extensive earth cutting and deforestation in the Karbi Anglong hills and their foothills.

Local sources said the soil’s capacity to retain and absorb rainwater has been severely reduced due to continued earth cutting and the loss of forest cover. Normally, vegetation and tree cover help check soil erosion and slow down the flow of rainwater, thereby reducing the risk of flash floods.

Residents also pointed to unplanned drainage systems and various human activities as factors that worsened the situation. The construction of boundary walls and other structures along natural water channels reportedly obstructed the flow of runoff, resulting in water entering residential areas.

Sources told this correspondent that extensive earth cutting in the Karbi Anglong hills and foothill areas was a major factor behind the flash flooding in greater Kaziranga.

They warned that if the situation continues without effective intervention by the State Forest Department and civil administration, the risk of more serious natural disasters in Kaziranga and adjoining areas could increase in the future.

The latest incident has once again highlighted the need for stricter monitoring of hill cutting, protection of forest cover and restoration of natural drainage channels in the ecologically sensitive Kaziranga landscape.