13 lakh people affected as flood situation worsens in Assam

The flood situation of Assam worsened with the second wave of flooding hitting two more districts and affecting more than 13 lakh people. Meanwhile, the floods also claimed the lives of four people – two in Dibrugarh district and one each in Barpeta and Goalpara, taking the overall toll to 24.

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority said 25 districts – Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanth, Udalguri, Chirnag, Darrang, Nalbari, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara, Kamrup, Kamrup (Metro), Morigaon, Hojai, Nagaon, Golaghat, Jorhat, Majuli, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and West Karbi Anglong – were reeling under flood affecting 13,16,927 people and 83,168 hectares of cropland.

Over 27,000 affected people are taking shelter in 273 relief camps. According to ASDMA, with over three lakh affected people, Barpeta is the worst hit district in the current wave of floods, followed by South Salmara and Nalbari districts.

In Kamrup (Metro), floodwaters have affected over 14,000 people in 15 villages under Sonapur and Chandrapur revenue circles. At the Kaziranga National Park, 146 forest camps have been inundated. The Orang National Park is also affected by floods with 22 forest camps under water.

The Brahmaputra river is flowing above the red mark in Jorhat, Sonitpur, Kamrup (Metro), Goalpara and Dhubri districts. The Burhidehing in Dibrugarh, Dhansiri in Golaghat, Jia Bharali in Sonitpur, Kopili in Nagaon, Puthimari in Kamrup, Beki in Barpeta and Kushiyara in Karimganj districts are also flowing above the danger level.

In the past 24 hours, floods damaged a number of embankments in Lakhimpur, Biswanth, Dibrugarh, Barpeta, Darrang, Udalguri, Bongaigaon, South Salmara, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Hojai and Baksa districts. In Barpeta, Nalbari and Baksa, floods also damaged a number of bridges and culverts.