The flash flood in 2017 in the northeast region, triggered by heavy rainfall, has breached parts of embankments and resulted in huge loss of asset and income of haor dwellers. The study covered 70 villages of 31 unions under 6 districts (Maulvibazar, Sunamgonj, Sylhet, Habigonj, Netrokona and Kishorganj) with a total of 1845 households.  The reasons behind this early flash flood in haor were identified as heavy rainfall within a very short period of time. According to the data from Indian Meteorological department (IMD), the rainfall data recorded in Meghalaya and Assam during the month of January, February and March which was this year respectively 29%, 40% and 73% higher than the normal rainfall (average of the rainfall over a 30-year period) of the corresponding months. Therefore, the recorded rainfall was 339.6 mm in March in Sylhet, which was 154% higher than the normal rainfall in March. Local communities also reported that insufficient protective measures including repair and maintenance of embankments, timely not completion of project works were some other reasons of huge loss.

As the results, agriculture was found as the main occupation of the Haor dwellers (about 52% household) in the normal period. But only about 13% of people were engaged in agriculture during the flood; the highest about 24% people were engaged in fishery at the same period of time. Interestingly, almost all people were occupied in any of the professions in normal period, but during the flood, a great number people (about 21%) stayed without job in the study areas. Respondents reported that they changed their usual food habits, roughly one-third of households consumed two instead of three meals per day, 53% adapted consuming to less food and 16% had low nutritious food due to the scarcity of food. Overall, one-third of people were found food insecure after the flash flood as per Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). Status of insecurity was highest in the Sunamgonj district where most of the area was affected.