Flood Situation In Assam Turns Grim, Nearly 2 Lakh Affected

NEW DELHI: The flood situation in the state of Assam is turning grim with each passing day. Although the number of casualties remain two, nearly two lakh people have been affected by it in as many as 13 districts of the state.

The incessant rains, with the onset of the monsoon last week, in Assam has brought with itself floods, devastation and damage. At least 553 villages are marooned, roads and bridges badly damaged and rivers, including the Brahmaputra, are overflowing.

The daily flood report by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) read that more than 1.95 lakh people have been hit in the first wave of flood in Assam and as many as 553 villages across 13 districts- Barpeta, Sonitpur, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Tinsukia, Darrang, Nalbari, Goalpara, Jorhat, Kamrup Metropolitan, Baksa, Dibrugarh and Kamrup districts, are inundated by floodwaters.

The report added that Brahmaputra river is still flowing above the danger mark at Nematighat in Jorhat district, Jia Bharali at NT Road crossing in Sonitpur and Puthimari at NH Road crossing in Kamrup district.

The worst hit district is Lakhimpur, where nearly 60,000 people have been reeling under floods, followed by Barpeta where around 43,000 have been affected,the report added.

While three relief camps were set up by the authorities in another hard hit district, Tinsukia on Tuesday, one more camp was opened on Wednesday at Sonitpur. A total of 273 people are taking shelter in the relief camps.

Relief camps at other affected areas are also in the process of being set up. The state revenue department said it is trying to open relief camps and supply relief materials to the affected areas. "We are assessing the situation. The situation is still not that grim. We have made all arrangements to face the situation," a senior government official said.

A considerable section of the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park in the Tinsukia district has been submerged by the rising levels of the Brahmaputra.

Further, the floodwaters have entered the Kaziranga National Park as well, forcing animals to move to drier and safer areas.

The overflowing rivers have led to hundreds of villages been inundated and left tens of thousands of villagers stranded. Large amounts of crop has been damaged since crop fields have also been submerged under floodwaters.

According to the ASDMA report, around 8,200 hectares of standing crop, mostly paddy, have been damaged by the overflowing rivers.

Meanwhile, the weather department has predicted more monsoon rains in the coming days.