Much of the northeast had an almost rainless day on Tuesday but there was no respite for people across the flood-hit areas, especially in the western and southern parts of Assam.
According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), six people died in the last 24 hours to take the flood-and-landslip death toll since April to 88.
“So far, 53.94 lakh people have been affected across 5,123 villages in 31 districts and crops in 108,030.98 hectares have been damaged,” an ASDMA spokesperson said. The water level in Kaziranga National Park receded marginally.
Floods and landslips have so far claimed 126 lives in the northeast, 32 of them in Meghalaya and six in Arunachal Pradesh.
On Tuesday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma inspected the flood-hit areas of Nalbari district and visited several relief camps. His Meghalaya counterpart, Conrad K. Sangma assessed the flash flood damage in West and South Garo Hills districts.
Rescue operations
The NDRF was rushed to Cachar in Barak Valley of Assam for rescue operations as the flood situation remained critical with Brahmaputra and Barak rivers along with its tributaries in spate.
‘’Four units of NDRF from Bhubaneswar with total 105 personnel have been sent to Silchar to carry out rescue operations in Barak Valley’‘, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said and thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the ‘‘prompt action and help”.
In Cachar, a population of 2,07,143 in 449 villages have been affected, while in Karimganj 1,33,865 in 305 villages were hit by the flood, according to the bulletin issued by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).
The calamity has affected 125 revenue circles and 5,424 villages across Assam forcing 2,31,819 people to take shelter in 810 relief camps. At least 11,292 people and 27,086 animals have been evacuated by agencies engaged in rescue operations in the past 24 hours. Relief materials were distributed to the affected people who have not taken shelters in relief camps through 615 temporary relief distribution centres and points opened by the government.
Among the worst affected districts, Barpeta with a population of 12,30,721 is reeling under flood waters followed by Darrang where 4,69,241 people have been hit and Bajali where 3,38515 have been affected, according to the bulletin issued by the ASDMA.
According to the bulletin of the Central Water Commission (CWC), Kopili river is flowing above its high flood level at Kampur in Nagaon district and Brahmaputra at Nimatighat, Tezpur, Guwahati, Kamrup, Goalpara and Dhubri. Puthimari, Pagladia, Beki Barak and Kushiara are flowing above the danger levels.
Urban flooding was reported from Barpeta, Cachar, Darrang, Goalpara, Kamrup (Metro) and Karimganj. Landslides occurred at Kamrup and Karimganj during the day, it said.
In Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, 14 of the total 25 camps have been inundated though there are no reports of animal casualty so far, officials said.
Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) has cancelled, short terminated or diverted several trains following damages in railway tracks due to flood induced breaches at Chaparmukh – Kampur and Chaparmukh – Senchoa sections of Lumding and Harisinga-Tangla section of Rangiya divisions in the Sate on Tuesday, NFR official said.
(With inputs from PTI)
