Assam flood situation worsens, 1.1 lakh people affected

The flood situation remained critical in Assam with 30 more villages reeling under water on Tuesday, taking the total number of affected people in this season to around 1.1 lakh in 11 districts. According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority, 29 villages were affected in the three districts of Dhemaji, Chirang and Lakhimpur.

Over 400 villages were affected so far in 11 districts across the state, hitting nearly 1.1 lakh people, ASDMA sources said. The first wave of flood this season since June has claimed one life in Morigaon district. The flood also hit the Kaziranga National Park and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and assured him of all kinds of central help.

As per ASDMA data, nine relief camps have been set up in Dhemaji and Chirang districts with about 3,000 people taking shelter there.

The flood victims claimed that flooding was severe as there were no river embankments or those breached by earlier floods not repaired before the deluge.

Besides, 6,100 hectare of agricultural land has been submerged with standing crops like rice being destroyed. Meanwhile, the Brahmaputra was flowing above the danger level at Nematighat in Jorhat district and its tributaries Burhidehing, Desang, Jia Bharali, Puthimari and Beki were flowing above the danger level at Khowang in Dibrugarh district, Nanglamuragat in Sibsagar, N T Road Crossing in Sonitpur, N H Road Crossing in Kamrup and at Road Bridge in Barpeta respectively.

The 11 affected districts are Dhemaji, Tinsukia, Chirang, Nagaon, Golaghat, Jorhat, Kamrup, Karimganj, Lakhimpur, Morigaon and Sivasagar.

Image: A rickshaw puller wades through a water-logged street in Guwahati, Assam