Assam flood situation still critical, 19 districts affected

GUWAHATI: With at least 19 districts still affected, the flood situation in Assam continued to remain critical on Saturday.

According to the latest report by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), a total of 4,88,525 persons across 1,538 villages and two urban areas are affected.

On Friday, a person died in Nalbari district in a flood-related incident.

Nikhilesh Malla Bujorbaruah was reported missing after he accidentally fell into floodwaters near his house. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) later recovered his body.

This was the second fatality in the state from this year’s first spell of floods.

The first deaths was reported on Thursday in Tamulpur district.

State government officials said that the victims’ families will receive compensation under the Ex-gratia scheme.

The 19 flood-affected districts are Bajali, Chirang, Darrang, Baksa, Barpeta, Biswanath, Bongaigaon, Dhemaji, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Goalpara, Golaghat, Kamrup, Kokrajhar, Lakhimpur, Nagaon, Nalbari, Tamulpur, Udalguri, according to the ASDMA.

Bajali district remains the worst hit by the floods with 267,253 affected people, followed in the second place by Barpeta (73,233).

At least 35,142 flood-affected people have taken shelter in 225 relief camps operated by the state administration across 14 districts.

The highest number of camps were opened in Bajali where 15,841 people have taken shelter in 73 relief camps.

According to a senior official of the state government, the district administrators have been providing necessary food, medicine, and other essentials to the flood-affected people.

SDRF and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been placed on high alert in all the flood-prone districts.

Meanwhile, over 10,782 hectares of cropland are submerged by the flood water which may result in the damage of large amounts of agricultural products, according to the farmers.

Apart from humans, 427,474 animals have also been affected. According to ASDMA data, more than 200 animals, domestic and wild, have been washed away.

Erosions and damage to important infrastructures like bridges, schools, and houses were reported from several districts.

At least 14 river embankments have suffered damage in three districts. Other infrastructure damages were reported in 213 areas in 14 districts.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted ‘heavy rainfall’ and issued a ‘Yellow Alert’ till Sunday.

The Brahmaputra, Manas, Puthimari and Pagladiya rivers are all flowing above the danger level.

Due to the torrential rain, urban floods were reported in Kokrajhar and Darang districts.