Doomdooma: Heavy rainfall over the past fortnight has triggered a severe mosquito outbreak across Doomdooma town and adjoining villages in upper Assam’s Tinsukia district.
“We have never seen anything like this before. Even after spraying our houses with whatever we can afford, the mosquitoes return in clouds every evening. Children are crying all night, and many elders have developed high fever,” said Rinku Baruah, a 42-year-old tea garden worker from Doomdooma’s Hansara village.
Low-lying areas have turned into breeding hotspots, leaving thousands of residents battling persistent bites and rising fears of vector-borne diseases.
Locals report swarms of mosquitoes emerging at dusk and entering homes, schools, and marketplaces despite repeated personal efforts to control them.
Health experts warn that stagnant water accumulated in roadside ditches, abandoned plots, and paddy fields after the recent downpour has created ideal conditions for Aedes and Anopheles mosquitoes.
A local physician, speaking on condition of anonymity at Doomdooma FRU Hospital, confirmed a noticeable spike in patients complaining of fever, body ache, and rashes. “We are already seeing early signs of malaria cases. If fogging and larvicidal operations are not started immediately, the situation could spiral out of control within weeks,” he cautioned.
Residents have appealed to the Assam Health Department for emergency measures.
“The health department must send fogging machines and medical teams right now. We pay taxes and expect basic protection. Our children cannot study, and daily wage earners like us are losing work due to illness,” said Rajen Dutta, a 55-year-old resident and father of three from the town’s Daily Bazaar area.
However, with pre-monsoon rains expected to continue, residents fear the crisis may worsen without swift, large-scale intervention. Health authorities have been urged to carry out immediate source reduction drives and distribute mosquito nets and repellents free of cost in the affected pockets.
As the mosquito problem affects daily life in Doomdooma, calls for government support are increasing, raising concerns over public health infrastructure in flood-prone upper Assam.