ASSAM FLOODS: SITUATION DETERIORATES, DEATH TOLL RISES TO 62, OVER 21 LAKH AFFECTED

Guwahati: The flood situation in Assam deteriorated further on Thursday, with six more people losing their lives and over 21 lakh people affected across 29 districts as major rivers continued to surge above danger levels, according to an official bulletin.

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said among the six fatalities, four were from Golaghat and one each from Dibrugarh and Charaideo, taking the death toll from this year's floods, landslides, and storms to 62.

A total of 21,13,204 people have been affected across 29 districts, with 57,018 hectares of cropland inundated. The worst-hit districts include Dhubri with 6,48,806 affected, Darrang with 1,90,261, Cachar with 1,45,926, Barpeta with 1,31,041, and Golaghat with 1,08,594 affected people, the report said.

Currently, 39,338 affected people are taking refuge in 698 relief camps, while relief materials have been distributed to 7,24,322 non-camp residents. Over 1,000 people and 635 animals have been evacuated by various agencies using boats, according to the bulletin.

An alert has been issued in Kamrup (Metro) district where the Brahmaputra, Digaru, and Kollong rivers are flowing above the danger mark, submerging vast areas of land.

Governor Gulab Chand Kataria visited the flood-affected Morigaon district, while Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma inspected flood-hit areas in Maligaon, Pandu Port, Temple Ghat, and Majuli in the Guwahati Metropolitan area.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal assessed the situation in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts, with cabinet ministers stationed in various flood-affected districts for the next three days.

The severely affected districts include Barpeta, Biswanath, Cachar, Charaideo, Chirang, Darrang, Dhemaji, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Goalpara, Golaghat, Hailakandi, Hojai, Jorhat, Kamrup, Kamrup Metropolitan, East Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong, Karimganj, Lakhimpur, Majuli, Morigaon, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sivasagar, Sonitpur, and Tinsukia.

The Brahmaputra River and its tributaries are flowing above danger levels at multiple points, while the Barak River and its tributaries also pose significant risks.

A total of 14,59,806 animals have been affected, with 98 reported washed away during the day. Additionally, 93 houses, along with roads, embankments, and other infrastructure, have been damaged due to the rising floodwaters.

2024-07-04T19:00:18Z dg43tfdfdgfd