Woman relives trauma amid flooding again

Raj Kaur sits silently on the bundh, clutching a hand fan, her eyes heavy with the weight of yet another tragedy. The scorching heat is unrelenting, but it's the emotional toll that truly bears down on her. Just two years ago, Raj lost both her husband and home to the devastating 2023 floods. Now, barely beginning to rebuild her life, she faces the same nightmare again.

When The Tribune visited the site, the despair was palpable. Raj’s husband Harmesh Singh had made headlines last year when he drowned in floodwaters while collecting bricks from the remains of their collapsed house. The grief deepened shortly after with the passing of her mother-in-law, compounding the family’s loss.

“This time again, waters have flooded our Dhakka Basti,” Raj said quietly. “It’s tough to live in such an environment. Hopefully, things become normal and we will return home soon.”

The renewed flooding has displaced several families in Dhakka Basti, forcing them to take shelter on the nearby embankment under harsh weather conditions. For residents like Raj, the trauma of 2023 is still fresh — now made worse by the return of floodwaters.