Guwahati: A search for missing people in flood-ravaged Nepalikhuti village in Assam’s Sivasagar district led to the recovery of two bodies buried beneath thick layers of silt after residents returned to the area as floodwaters receded.
The bodies came to light during the clean-up operation as villagers cleared mud and debris from damaged houses and surrounding areas to assess the destruction caused by the recent floods.
The extent of the devastation remained visible across the village, where refrigerators and other household belongings lay scattered amid flood deposits while residents continued searching for those still unaccounted for.
Villagers first spotted one body near the riverbank, where only the legs could be seen above the silt, with the remaining portion buried underneath mud and sediment. The other body was traced beneath a deep layer of deposited silt close to the house of Sonu Karmarkar.
Residents said both victims had been completely covered by sediment brought in by the floodwaters.
“We all came back to our village today. While clearing our homes, we found two dead bodies. We immediately informed the Gaonburha and the police administration,” a villager said.
A resident also said one of the deceased is suspected to be Rajen Panika’s wife, though officials have yet to officially verify the identity.
Information about the discovery was immediately passed on to the police and civil administration. Officials are expected to retrieve the bodies, confirm their identities and carry out post-mortem examinations according to the prescribed procedure.
Heavy flooding had earlier forced residents of Nepalikhuti, one of the severely flood-hit villages in Upper Assam, to leave their homes after widespread inundation damaged houses and infrastructure across the area.
With the water now receding, residents are returning to homes buried under thick mud deposits. Many fear that more victims could still remain trapped beneath the accumulated silt.