No, I was not born on that day.
But, 15 August 1950 and night 19 August 1950 will never go away from memory of survivors of Ukhamati village, Gugamukh. The earhquake measuring 8.6 ( recalculated now) has caused so much landslide that it blocked Abonori ( Subansiri) river creating an artificial dam. People from our village, Ukhamati left immediately after the earth quake as it was announced on radio that Abonori has been blocked and at any time, it may break the artificial dam and flood downstream. But Nothing happened for next few days.
So, they had started coming back after 2/3 days one by one and had heartily feasted on the fish on Abonori river as it dried up.
And after 4 days from the earthquake, on the night of 19 August 1950, the artificial dam was broken by swelling Abonori which created flood wave of more than 25 feet!
It changed the course of Abonori for ever. So did it 25 families of Ukhamati who had resettled themselves in Pathali Pam, now known as Ukhamati village in Gugamukh.
I remember the stories from my father and other elders in our village. I also salute the person who saved our family on that night after braving 25 feet flood water with fast current using a Mising boat. We will be in eternal debt to him.
Incidentally, NHPC is building a dam on the same location where Abonori was once blocked by landslides from earth quack. So, may be the time has me again for the people of Ukhamati to brace for natures fury in case the dam is broken, this time by another earth quake with value of 8.6 in the Richter scale!
