The flood situation in Assam turned critical on Friday with nine more people, including two children, losing their lives, taking the death toll in this year's floods and landslides in the State to 55, a bulletin said.
The deaths were reported in Hojai, Nalbari, Bajali, Dhubri, Kamrup, Kokrajhar, and Sonitpur districts. Two people were reported missing in Hojai and Sonitpur districts.
A total of 18.94 lakh people remained affected in 28 districts of the State, the bulletin issued by Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said.
Landslides were reported in Dima Hasao, Goalpara, Hojai, Kamrup and Kamrup (Metropolitan) and Morigaon.
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal called up Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and discussed the situation with him.
Several rivers including Brahmaputra, Kopili, Paladadiya, Jia-Bharali, Manas and Beki were flowing above the danger level.
Workers at the under-construction dam site of 2,000 MW Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Power Project were asked to leave as the Subansiri River was flowing above the danger level due to heavy rain in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh which inundated several villages in Dhemaji and Lakhimpur districts, an official said.
An alert has been sounded in Karbi Anglong, Morigaon and Nagaon districts after the opening of four sluice gates of NEEPCO's Karbi Langpi Hydro Electric Project at Langdong in Dima Hasao district.
Flooding in urban areas was reported in Kamrup Metropolitan, Bajali, Barpeta, Darrang, Goalpara, Morigaon, Kokrajhar, Nalbari and Udalguri districts, the ASDMA bulletin said.
Guwahati has been severely affected by continued water logging in most parts of the city for the fourth consecutive day, with areas such as Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagar, Zoo Road, Six Mile, Noonmati, Bhootnath, Maligaon, Bamunimaidam, Rajgarh Link Road, Hatigaon, Rukimingaon, Fatasil and Gotanagar remaining severely affected.
Road communication has been affected in several districts with 234 roads and 16 bridges being damaged, while landslides on NH 6 in neighbouring Meghalaya disrupted traffic movement between Guwahati, Shillong, Silchar and Agartala.
Sonitpur district administration has closed down NH 15, connecting Lakhimpur, Dhemaji along with Itanagar and Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, for heavy vehicles and the situation was being strictly monitored, an official said.
The second wave of floods this year have impacted 96 revenue circles and 2,930 villages while 1,06,677 people have taken shelter in 363 relief camps.
