Assam floods: Death toll climbs to 95; situation remains grim

The flood situation in Assam remains grim as six more deaths take the monsoon season's toll to 95. Over 1.6 lakh people across 563 villages are affected, with Sivasagar being the worst-hit. Massive damage to infrastructure is reported.

The flood situation in Assam remains grim as six more individuals lost their lives in the last 24 hours, taking the total death toll in this year's monsoon season to 95. According to the latest report from the Disaster Reporting and Information Management System (DRIMS), the state is grappling with both widespread rural inundation and critical urban flooding across multiple districts.

Out of the six fresh fatalities reported on Wednesday, five deaths were attributed to the general flood situation--two each from Biswanath and Sivasagar districts, and one from Golaghat. One person died due to urban flooding in the Mayong revenue circle of Morigaon district. One person has also been reported missing in Udalguri. The Dhansiri (S) river at Numaligarh continues to flow above the danger level, keeping 14 districts on high alert.

Widespread Impact Across Districts

The affected districts include Golaghat, Lakhimpur, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Biswanath, Dhemaji, Kamrup (M), Jorhat, Sonitpur, Tinsukia, Nagaon, Darrang, Karbi Anglong, and Udalguri.

In total, over 1.6 lakh people across 563 villages have been hit by the current wave of flooding. Sivasagar remains the worst-affected district with over 57,000 people impacted, followed by Golaghat and Jorhat.

Infrastructure and Agricultural Damage

The report said that the deluge has caused massive damage to the state's infrastructure. DRIMS reports indicate seven major embankment breaches, five in Biswanath at Brahmajan and two in Darrang at Mangaldoi. A steel bridge in Charaideo (Cholapothar) and a footbridge in Udalguri (Tangla) have also been damaged.

Vast tracts of agricultural land are submerged, with 16,951 hectares of crop area currently under water. The livestock population has also taken a heavy hit; over 35,000 animals are affected, and approximately 8,500 animals, primarily in Sivasagar, have been washed away.

Urban Centres Hit by Flooding

Urban centres, including Guwahati, are facing severe waterlogging. Four districts, i.e Kamrup, Kamrup (M), Morigaon, and Jorhat, reported urban flood impacts affecting 734 people. In Kamrup (M), SDRF and DDRF personnel deployed boats to evacuate 80 people from submerged localities, including Satgaon and Hatigaon. Partial waterlogging continues to hamper daily life in Guwahati's Juripar and Anil Nagar areas.

Relief and Rescue Efforts

The state government has intensified relief operations, opening 45 relief camps that are currently housing 12,356 inmates. Additionally, 59 distribution centres are providing essential supplies to over 32,000 people. Massive quantities of rice, dal, salt, and cattle feed are being dispatched to the worst-hit zones.

Authorities continue to monitor the river levels as the meteorological department predicts further rainfall in the catchment areas, potentially exacerbating the already critical situation.

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