Assam flood: 7.35 lakh people of 18 districts affected

Guwahati: Assam flood situation turned grim on Monday following incessant rains across the state in past few days, where as more 7.35 lakh people of 18 districts are affected.

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said in its report that, water levels of Brahmaputra and its tributaries had crossed danger level mark in many places in the state. At least six people were killed in the fresh flood in the state.

A total of 7,35,829 people of 1597 villages under 56 revenue circles of Dhemaji, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Sonitpur, Barpeta, Goalpara, Morigaon, Cachar, Nagaon, Lakhimpur, Jorhat, Tinsukia, Darrang, baska, Nalbari, Udalguri, Kamrup and Dibrugarh districts are affected. More than 3.41 lakh people are affected alone in Dhemaji district.

Flood situation is worsened in Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh, Baska, Barpeta districts.“Two people killed in Dhemaji district, while two in Dibrugarh, one each in Cachar and Baska district,” an official of ASDMA said. Flood waters submerged 1,18,403.93 hectors crop area in the affected districts.

District administration of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Cachar, Dhemaji, Tinsukia, Sonitpur, Nalbari and Dibrugarh district set up 168 relief camps, where 51,058 people have took shelter. The ASDMA report said that, the water level of Brahmaputra river had crossed danger level mark in Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Sonitpur and Dhubri district.

“Water level of Burhidehing river flown above danger level at Khowang in Dibrugarh district, Dhansiri at Numaligarh in Golaghat district, Jia Bharali at N.T.Rd. xing in Sonitpur district, Puthimari at N.H.Rd.Xing in kamrup district, Pagladiya at N.H.Rd.Xing in Nalbari district, beki at Rd.

Bridge in Barpeta district, Sankosh at Golokganj in Dhubri district and Kushiyara in Karimganj district,” the ASDMA report said. On other hand, flood waters inundated many areas in Kaziranga National Park (KNP) and Pobitora Wildlife sanctuary.

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Monday had directed the government officials to provide immediate relief to people affected by excessive rains leading to floods in the State.

Reviewing the situation arising out of increasing water levels in the Brahmaputra and the Barak and their tributaries in different districts of the State, Gogoi directed the officers to keep constant vigil over the situation and take immediate remedial steps.

Gogoi reviewed the flood situation at the conference room of his office in Assam Secretariat where he directed the State machinery to provide all possible help including relief materials to the affected people.

Gogoi also directed the Chief Secretary VK Pipersenia to ensure that communication is not snapped due to flood and all efforts should be initiated to restore communication.

The Assam CM also enquired about rising water level and amount of rainfall likely to occur in the next 48 hours and asked different departments especially PHE and Health to take necessary steps.

Moreover, a direction has been given to send engineers to Dibrugarh to assess the situation and find a way out including a master plan for drainage to bail the town out of artificial flood.

Assam Water Resources minister Basanta Das, Chief Secretary VK Pipersenia, Additional Chief Secretaries SC Das, MGVK Bhanu, Davinder Kumar along with other top officers were present at the review meeting.