Jalpaiguri, Aug. 28 -- In the aftermath of the devastating flash floods in Nepal, concerns over the sudden rise of rivers flowing down from the Bhutan hills have resurfaced in the Dooars. Amid repeated warnings from the Irrigation Department about the unpredictable nature of these rivers during the monsoon, a 39-year-old youth went missing on Friday after being swept away while attempting to cross the swollen Jaldhaka River with cattle.

The incident occurred on Friday morning during Raksha Bandhan. The missing youth has been identified as Arun Santal, a resident of Nagrakata Basti.

According to police and local sources, Arun was crossing the Jaldhaka River with cattle along with several others when he suddenly slipped and fell into the strong current. His companions tried to rescue him, but the powerful current swept him away within moments, said local resident Om Prakash.

Police from Nagrakata Police Station and administrative officials reached the spot after receiving the information. A search operation was launched with the help of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). Despite an extensive search until Friday evening, Arun could not be traced. The operation is still on.

The incident has renewed concerns over the dangers posed by the rivers of the Dooars during the monsoon. Water flowing down from the Bhutan hills can cause river levels to rise rapidly, often leaving little time for people to respond.

Krishnendu Bhowmik, Chief Engineer of the North-East Division of the Irrigation Department, said: "Flash floods also occur in the rivers of the Dooars. However, their impact is generally not as large as in Nepal.

If a huge volume of water suddenly rushes down from the Bhutan hills, it is not always possible to provide an

advance warning.

Therefore, crossing the rivers in the Dooars during the monsoon without assessing the situation is extremely dangerous."

Despite regular awareness campaigns, residents continue to risk crossing swollen rivers, often with cattle, raising concerns over further accidents during the monsoon.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.