Flash Floods Destroy Sherpur Bridge as Four Passengers Wash Away

Torrential rainfall and an aggregate of rushing hill torrents descending from India’s Meghalaya hills have caused severe flooding across Sherpur district. Major rivers have burst their banks, submerging vast swathes of low-lying countryside. In a dramatic turn of events on Monday, 20 July 2026, the intense current destroyed an iron bailey bridge built over the Chellakhali River in the Nayapara South Sannyasivita area under Nalitabari upazila. Several people crossing the structure at the time were swept away by the violent waters.

The water levels rose exponentially on Monday morning. According to local hydrological reports, the Chellakhali River flowed a staggering 324 centimetres above the danger mark. Nearby water systems, including the Bhogai and Maharashi rivers, are also swelling rapidly. The sudden deluge left more than two hundred families stranded in their homes across several villages in the Kalsanpar and Joganiya unions of Nalitabari.

The catastrophic collapse of the bailey bridge was captured on a distressing video circulated by local residents. The footage reveals water washing over the iron structure. Unaware of the imminent danger, four individuals—including two adolescents—attempted to cross the bridge on foot. Suddenly, under the immense hydrostatic pressure of the debris-laden current, the bridge tilted sharply and collapsed into the river. Witnesses could be seen clinging desperately to the railings before being dragged into the torrent. Onlookers on the riverbanks erupted into panicked screams, shouting, “Oh Allah, protect us, Oh Allah, protect us!”

Despite the terrifying nature of the accident, a major tragedy was averted. Ashikur Zaman, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Nalitabari Police Station, confirmed that a swift rescue operation led by law enforcement and local volunteers successfully pulled all four individuals, including two children, from the river alive.

The scope of the disaster extends well beyond Nalitabari upazila. Three consecutive days of heavy downpours have inundated low-lying areas across three sub-districts in Sherpur. Rivers such as the Kalghosha in Jhenaigati, along with the Someshwari and Kornajhora in Sreebardi upazila, are all flowing well above their danger thresholds. Floodwaters from the Chellakhali River have spilled over the Sherpur-Gazirkhamar-Nalitabari highway at Balughata Gollarpar, forcing light and heavy vehicles to risk dangerous crossings through the overflow.

The commercial heart of Jhenaigati upazila has also been hit. Floodwaters breached the Jhenaigati Sadar market, inflicting significant financial losses on local shopkeepers and businesses. Concurrently, eight to ten low-lying villages in the vicinity have been completely cut off by the rising waters. The flash floods have washed away over a hundred commercial fish enclosures, whilst extensive fields of summer vegetables and newly sown Aman rice seedbeds remain submerged beneath the muddy water.

In response to the deteriorating humanitarian situation, local administrative bodies have mobilised emergency relief operations. Md Al Amin, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Jhenaigati, has been navigating the flooded villages by boat to distribute dry food rations and emergency relief materials directly to stranded households.

Sherpur District Collector Farida Yasmin visited the worst-affected zones to oversee the administrative response. She assured the public that the local government is fully prepared to manage the evolving flood crisis. Emergency funds have been unlocked, and the district administration has already coordinated the deployment of rice and dry food packages to sustain the displaced families until the water recedes.