Guwahati floods again as zoo boundary wall caves in at Japorigog

Heavy overnight rain flooded large parts of Guwahati on 19 August and brought down a section of the boundary wall of the Assam State Zoo-cum-Botanical Garden on the Japorigog side.

Knee-deep waterlogging was reported at Hatigaon, Anil Nagar, Zoo Road, Downtown, Wireless, Ambikagiri Nagar, Devdaru Path, Milan Path and the Barbari–Six Mile connecting road. Schools in Satgaon, Hatigaon and Super Market shut for the day.

No animals escaped

Zoo authorities and Forest Department officials sealed the breach with temporary barriers and posted guards along it. An official confirmed no animal had escaped following the collapse, and emergency repairs to rebuild the wall began the same day.

Residents say the warnings were on record

People living around the zoo said the wall had been visibly deteriorating and that complaints had gone nowhere.

“The wall has been deteriorating every day. They, however, didn’t pay any heed.”

Anima Boro, a resident, said the same: “We have been telling them for quite some years, but they haven’t paid any heed to our complaints.”

If you are in a low-lying part of the city, our summary of the NDMA urban flood do’s and don’ts covers what to do before the water rises and what not to touch afterwards.