Assam flood toll rises to 11, lakhs affected

The flood situation in Assam worsened on Sunday with the death toll rising to 11 and affecting nearly 26.5 lakh people across 28 districts.

An Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) report said four fresh deaths were reported from Jorhat, Barpeta and Dhubri districts.

Of the 28 affected districts, Barpeta is the worst hit with 7.35 lakh people affected, followed by Morigaon where 3.50 lakh people are hit.

They are followed by Dhubri where the number of affected is 3.38 lakh, the ASDMA said.

Till Saturday, around 14.06 lakh people were affected in 25 districts out of the total 33 districts.

"As per the Met department forecast, there will be more rainfall across Assam and the water level in the Brahmaputra is likely to rise," Kumar Sanjay Krishna, additional chief secretary (revenue and disaster management), said at a press conference on Sunday.

"Dhubri and other lower Assam districts will probably see more severe flood in coming days."

Krishna said the state government was fully capable of handling the situation.

"Last year, we had received Rs 590 crore from the Centre. We have sufficient funds in our hands and already released Rs 55.85 crore to the districts," he said.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force have rescued 7,833 people in the past 24 hours across the state.

As many as 10,840 litres of mustard oil, 7,922 quintals of rice, tarpaulin sheets, water pouches, biscuits, milk powder, dal, salt and other essential items have been distributed among the flood-affected people.

About 70 per cent of the Kaziranga National Park, the habitat of the Great Indian Rhino and a world heritage site, has been affected too, the official said.

"Many animals have moved to highlands. We have a sufficient stock of fodder and forest officials are on alert."

The Brahmaputra is flowing above its danger mark in Guwahati, at Nimatighat in Jorhat, Tezpur in Sonitpur, Goalpara and Dhubri towns, and at Badarpurghat in Karimganj.

Burhidehing river is flowing above its danger mark at Khowang in Dibrugarh, Subansiri at Badatighat in Lakhimpur, Dhansiri river at Numaligarh in Golaghat, Jia Bharali at NT Road Crossing in Sonitpur, Kopili at Kampur and Dharamtul in Nagaon, Puthimari at NH road crossing in Kamrup, Beki at Road Bridge in Barpeta, Katakhal river at Matizuri in Hailakandi and Kushiyara river at Karimganj town, the ASDMA said.

It said 3,181 villages were under water and 87,607 hectares of crop areas had been damaged.

Authorities are running 327 relief camps and distribution centres in 24 districts, where 16,596 people are taking shelter at present.

Embankments, roads, bridges, culverts and infrastructure have been damaged at various places in Sonitpur, Golaghat, Jorhat, Baksa, Dibrugarh, Nalbari, Hojai, Morigaon, Lakhimpur, Darrang, Nagaon, Kamrup, Barpeta, Dhubri, Majuli, Karimganj, Sivasagar, Hailakandi and South Salmara.

Massive erosions have been witnessed at several places of Udalguri, Barpeta and Sonitpur districts, the ASDMA said.

"For repairing embankments, 168 proposals worth Rs 250 crore were approved after last year's flood," Krishna said.