Assam flood situation remains grim; over 7 lakh people suffering

Currently, 2,095 villages in the state are inundated. According to the ASDMA, 95,473.51 hectares of crop area has been lost to the floods.

Image: An army vehicle stuck in a flood-hit area at Raha in Nagaon district of Assam. Photograph: PTI Photo

The flood situation in Assam continues to remain grim with six more persons, including two children, losing their lives. With this, the total number of people killed due to floods and landslides across Assam this year has gone up to 24.

Floods have wreaked havoc in 22 districts of the state, impacting nearly 7.2 lakh people. Assam State Disaster Management Authority figures show that over 7,19,540 people have been impacted in several districts, including Barpeta, Jorhat, Kamrup, Karbi Anglong West, Biswanath, Cachar, Darrang, Goalpara, Golaghat, Hailakandi, Nagaon, Sonitpur, Udalguri, Karimganj, Lakhimpur, Majuli, Morigaon.

Image: A villager wades through a flooded street after heavy rainfall at a village in Hojai district. Photograph: PTI Photo

According to the ASDMA's daily flood report, four deaths due to drowning were reported in Nagaon district's Kampur revenue circle. One person lost his life in Hojai district's Doboka while a child drowned at Silchar in Cachar.

Nagaon is the worst hit with almost 3.46 lakh people marooned, followed by Cachar, where over 2.29 lakh people have been impacted, and over 58,300 people in Hojai. Till Saturday, the deluge had impacted 31 districts of the state. At least 253 people have been evacuated so far from various flood-hit parts of Assam.

Image: Villagers use a boat to shift away from flood-affected areas after heavy rainfall in Hojai district. Photograph: PTI Photo

Currently, 2,095 villages in the state are inundated. According to the ASDMA, 95,473.51 hectares of crop area have been lost to the floods.

Local authorities have set up 421 relief camps where 91,518 people, including 18,626 children, have taken shelter. Distribution centres are operational in eight districts.

Image: Villagers wade through a flooded street after heavy rainfall, at a village in Darrang district. Photograph: PTI Photo

The ASDMA bulletin noted that Barpeta, Dhubri, Morigaon, Nalbari, Dibrugarh, Goalpara, Kamrup Metropolitan and Udalguri had seen massive erosion. It further noted that infrastructure like roads, bridges and embankments had suffered damage due to floodwaters. To add to the woes, the Brahmaputra river's tributaries -- Kopili at Dharamtul and Kampur, and Disang at Nanglamuraghat -- are still flowing above the danger mark.