GUWAHATI, May 31: The state’s flood situation remained grim on Friday with over two lakh people affected in nine districts, following incessant rainfall in the aftermath of cyclone Remal, officials said.
Altogether six people died in the flood, rain and storms in the state since May 28, they said.
Nagaon, Karimganj, Hailakandi, West Karbi Anglong, Cachar, Hojai, Golaghat, Karbi Angling and Dima Hasao districts were severely affected.
Meanwhile, Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday spoke to chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over the phone to enquire about the flood situation in the state and assured of the Centre’s support.
“Hon’ble Home Minister Shri @AmitShah Ji telephoned me to enquire about the flood situation in various parts of Assam, following the impact of Cyclone Remal,” Sarma posted on X.
Road connectivity of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi districts of Barak Valley with other parts of the state and the northeast region has been affected with vehicles stranded, following 20 metre-stretch of the National Highway-6 being washed away by heavy rain in Lumslum area of Meghalaya.
Cachar is the worst affected with 1,12,246 people reeling under the deluge, followed by 37,000 in Karimganj, 22,058 in Hojai and 14,308 in Hailakandi.
A crop area of 3238.8 hectares has also been submerged, while 2,34,535 animals have been affected.
The Brahmaputra and Barak rivers along with their tributaries are flowing above the danger mark at several places in the flood-hit districts.
Altogether, 35,640 affected people have taken shelter in 110 relief camps with the highest of 19,646 in Hojai, followed by 12,110 in Cachar, 2,060 in Hailakandi and 1,613 in Karimganj.
Life came to a standstill in the three districts of Barak Valley and Dima Hasao, while intermittent rainfall and thunderstorms were reported from other affected districts on Thursday, officials said.
In Karimganj, Cachar, and Hailakandi districts, the Barak river and its tributaries Longai, Kushiara, Singla, and Katakhal were flowing above the danger level at several locations, maintaining a rising trend while four embankments were damaged in Karimganj.
In Barak Valley’s Silchar town, which had witnessed a devastating flood in 2022, several areas have been affected by waterlogging which led to snarl traffic movement.
Life has been hit due to relentless rain in Dima Hasao district, severely impacting road connectivity throughout the district.
The Haflong-Silchar road has been completely cut off after a stretch was washed away near Harangajao, while the Haflong-Harangajao route has been blocked by multiple landslides.
Train services, cancelled or short-terminated due to landslides along the Haflong-Badarpur rail route, are yet to be restored, the officials said.
The railway station in Silchar’s Tarapur locality, situated close to the river, has been engulfed by the rising waters, disrupting railway operations significantly.
According to a spokesperson from the North East Frontier Railway, services to and from Silchar, a crucial hub in Barak Valley, have either been cancelled or short-terminated.
The Silchar-Guwahati Express and the corresponding train from Guwahati along with the Silchar-Rangiya Express and the corresponding train from Rangiya will remain cancelled on Friday and Saturday.
Six more trains will remain cancelled on Friday due to high-water level and speed restriction between Jugijan and Jamunamukh of Lumding division, he said. These include Guwahati-Mariani BG Express, Guwahati-Lumding Special, Guwahati-Ledo Intercity Express and its corresponding train from Ledo, Dibrugarh-Guwahati Nagaland Express and Shokhuvi-Naharlagun Donyi Polo Express.
The southwest monsoon has entered Assam and other parts of the Northeast region ahead of its scheduled time due to the effect of cyclone Remal, according to the Indian Meteorological Department.
The Indian Meteorological Department has warned of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms in Goalpara, Bongaigaon, Sonitpur, Biswanath, Dibrugarh, Karimganj, Cachar, Hailakandi, Dima Hasao, Dhubri and South Salmara districts in the next two days. (PTI)
