Death toll rises to 68 in Assam-Meghalaya flood

Guwahati: The death toll in Assam and Meghalaya in the fresh floods and mudslides rose to 68 and 100 people are still missing, affecting five lakh people.

On Wednesday, 16 bodies recovered in the worst affected Goalpara and Kamrup(Rural) districts in Assam even as relief and rescue operation continued round the clock.

Six bodies were recovered in Bolbala area under Krishnai police station in Goalpara district on Wednesday taking the death toll rose to 16 in the district.

Another 10 bodies recovered from Boko area in Kamrup(Rural) district, where army, NDRF and SDRF teams are continued rescue operation, a district official said.

“In past 48 hours a total of 31 bodies were recovered in the worst affected two districts of West Assam,” a top official of Assam Government said.

On Wednesday morning, police and rescue teams had recovered six bodies from Boko area.

The recovered bodies were identified as Moon Rabha, Bitupon Rabha, Ananda Kumar, Ahila Kumari, Padma Kumar and Ganesh Chetry.

“Relief and rescue operation are continued and affected people have rushed to safer places,” Kamrup(Rural) DC Dr J Balaji said.

The Goalpara district administration said that, 94 relief camps have been set up in the district and more than 95,000 people have taken shelter in the camps.

Assam government had announced ex gratia payment of Rs 3.50 lakh to the next kin of those who lost their lives in the current flood.

Two ministers of the state government Rockybul Hussain and Nilamoni Sen Deka on Wednesday took stock the present situation in the two districts.

On other hand, the death toll in Meghalaya in the current floods and landslides rose to 28 and other 44 people are still missing.