Four more deaths take toll to 184
HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, July 5: The flood situation in Assam continued to improve on Tuesday although four more people, including two children, lost their lives in the deluge and nearly 11.17 lakh people remained affected in 20 districts, an official bulletin said.
According to the daily flood report issued by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), two people, including one child, drowned in Cachar district, while one person lost his life in Morigaon district during the day.
One more child died due to the flood in Nagaon district, the report stated.
With this, the total number of people losing their lives in this year’s floods and landslides in the state has gone up to 184.
ASDMA said more than 11,16,800 people remained affected due to floods in Bajali, Barpeta, Biswanath, Cachar, Chirang, Darrang, Dibrugarh, Dima Hasao, Goalpara, Golaghat, Hailakandi, Kamrup, Kamrup (M), Karimganj, Lakhimpur, Morigaon, Nagaon, Sivasagar, Sonitpur and Tamulpur.
Cachar is the worst hit with nearly 6.32 lakh people suffering, followed by Nagaon (2.33 lakh) and Morigaon (1.65 lakh).
Urban flooding has hit several places in Dibrugarh district, the bulletin said.
Till Monday, nearly 14 lakh people were affected by the deluge across 24 districts in the state.
At present, 1,024 villages are under water and 29,781.23 hectares of farmland have been damaged across Assam, ASDMA said.
It further said authorities are running 383 relief camps and distribution centres in 15 districts, where 1,48,122 people, including 44,190 children, are taking shelter.
The authorities have distributed 1,846.9 quintals of rice, pulses and salt, 783.01 litres of mustard oil, 1,022.3 quintals of cattle feed and other flood relief items during the last 24 hours.
Massive erosions have been witnessed in Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Dhemaji, Hailakandi, Lakhimpur, Morigaon, Tinsukia and Udalguri districts.
Embankments, roads, bridges and other infrastructure have been damaged by floodwaters in Kamrup, Nagaon, Bajali, Barpeta, Biswanath, Cachar, Chirang, Darrang, Dhemaji, Karimganj, Udalguri, Biswanath, Morigaon, Dibrugarh, Hojai and Sivasagar districts.
A total of 3,18,910 domestic animals and poultry have been affected in the deluge across nine districts, ASDMA said.
Quoting a Central Water Commission bulletin, the ASDMA said that the mighty Brahmaputra at Dhubri town, while its tributaries Kopili at Dharamtul and Disang at Nanglamuraghat are flowing above danger levels. (With inputs from PTI)
Prez calls Himanta, enquires about flood situation
GUWAHATI, July 5 (PTI): President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday called Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and enquired about the prevailing flood situation in the state.
The chief minister said that he was honoured to receive a call from the President who enquired about Assam’s flood scenario and the ongoing relief and rescue operations.
“Extremely grateful for his concern. It will boost our morale in overcoming this situation,” Sarma tweeted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home minister Amit Shah had also called Sarma to enquire about the prevailing flood situation in the state.
Assam faced devastating floods this year which claimed 184 lives and affected 90 lakh people so far.