6 dead, over 8 lakh affected in Assam flood

July 13, 2019 10:12

The Army has been called for assistance in Assam as the flood situation in the state worsened with the toll rising to six and affecting nearly 8.7 lakh people across 21 districts.

Officials said the army's assistance was sought in Baksa district to aid the personnel of National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force in rescuing marooned people.

Assam State Disaster Management Authority officials said three more persons died in rain and flood-related incidents in Golaghat and Dima Hasao districts on Friday. While two persons died in the flood at Bokakhat revenue circle in Golaghat, one died in landslide in Haflong in Dima Hasao district.

It said about 8.7 lakh persons have been hit by the deluge in Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Sonitpur, Darrang, Baksa, Barpeta, Nalbari, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Goalpara, Morigaon, Hojai, Nagaon, Golaghat, Majuli, Jorhat, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts.

The state has a total of 33 districts and till yesterday three persons had died in floods and around 4.23 lakh people were affected in 17 districts.

Barpeta is the worst hit with 3.5 lakh people affected, followed by Dhemaji where 1.2 lakh people are hit. They are followed by Bongaigaon where the number of affected is 62,500, ASDMA said.

Massive erosions have taken place at various places in Chirang, Barpeta and Baksa due to the floods, which has submerged a total 1,556 villages and damaged 27,864.16 hectares of crop area, embankments, roads, bridges, culverts and other infrastructure in the affected districts.

The authorities are running 68 relief camps and distribution centres in 11 districts, where 7,643 people are taking shelter currently, ASDMA said.

The army, NDRF and SDRF have rescued 1,160 persons in the state since Thursday and have distributed 1,281.35 quintals of rice, dal, salt and 1,493.46 litres of mustard oil, besides tarpaulin, water pouch, sanitary napkins, baby food and other essential items.

Currently, Brahmaputra is flowing above its danger-mark at Guwahati, at Nimatighat in Jorhat, Tezpur in Sonitpur and at Goalpara and Dhubri towns, it said.

-- PTI

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