Guwahati, June 24 -- Reported by Farhana Ahmed

North Lakhimpur: Panic spread across several parts of Assam's Lakhimpur district on Wednesday after the water level of the Ranganadi River rose sharply following the release of water from the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation's (NEEPCO) Panyor Hydro Electric Project (PHEP) dam located at Yazali in Arunachal Pradesh.

Officials said the sudden surge was triggered by a massive cloudburst in the upper catchment area near the hydropower project, which led to intense rainfall, flash floods and extensive damage in upstream regions. To manage the heavy inflow into the reservoir, NEEPCO released water from the dam, resulting in a rapid increase in the river's water level downstream.

The firs...