Floods still grim; toll rises to 18 in Assam

 STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The flood situation in the state is still grim, with the death of a child in the past 24 hours and 18 districts reeling under the deluge. A child at Sipajhar Revenue Circle in the Darrang district lost his life today, raising the year's flood and landslide toll to 18.

The reasons behind the flood situation remaining grim even after falling showers are that the Brahmaputra is still flowing above its danger level at many stretches in the state. Though the other rivers in upper and lower Assam are flowing below their danger levels, they are still in spate.

According to a CWC (Central Water Commission) bulletin, the Brahmaputra is flowing above its danger levels at Neamatighat in the Jorhat district, Tezpur in the Sonitpur district, Guwahati in the Kamrup (M) district, Goalpara in the Goalpara district, and Dhubri in the Dhubri district. To cap it all, erosion has been creating havoc in various areas of the state. According to information received, severe erosion has been creating havoc at Na-Lakhimpuria in Sadiya on the right bank of the Kundil river since August 27, affecting around 800 metres of land. Erosion by the Brahmaputra also affected the Katdanga area in the Dhubri district, affecting 273 families. Reports of severe erosion also keep coming from districts like Kamrup, Kokrajhar, Nalbari, and South Salmara.

According to the report of the ASDMA (Assam State Disaster Management Authority), like yesterday, 18 districts in the state are still under the grip of floods. The districts are Barpeta, Biswanath, Chirang, Darrang, Dhemaji, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Goalpara, Golaghat, Jorhat, Kamrup, Kamrup (M), Lakhimpur, Morigaon, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sivasagar, and Sonitpur.

The ASDMA report further said that 779 villages in 39 revenue circles in the state are still under the grip of the deluge. The worst affected district today is Kamrup, with the submergence of 173 villages. Following Kamrup are Darrang with the submergence of 131 villages, Goalpara with 129 villages, Morigaon with 127 villages, Golaghat with 64 villages, and Nalbari with 36 villages. The total population affected today is 2,42,515: 1,04,368 males, 83,127 females, and 55,040 children. As many as seven relief camps are operational, giving shelter to 2,169 affected people. Reports of infrastructure damage continue to come in.

Also Read:     Assam Floods Affect Border Areas Between Assam and Arunachal in Biswanath

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