Guwahati(Assam): The flood situation in Assam remained grim on Saturday with the death count rising to 117 and Silchar town in the Cachar district submerged for the sixth straight day, officials said. Ten more people have died in the past 24 hours -- two each from Barpeta, Dhubri, Karimganj, and Udalguri districts and one death each from Cachar and Morigaon -- due to floods and landslides.
The total population affected by the floods declined to 33.03 lakh in 28 districts as against the previous day's figure of 45.34 lakh in 30 districts, a bulletin issued by the Assam State Management Disaster Authority (ASDMA) said on Saturday. According to ASDMA, a total of 117 people have lost their lives so far in the flood and landslides in the state this year; of which 100 people died in flood alone, while the remaining 17 died due to landslides.
As per the reports, at least 10 people, including four children died after drowning in the flood water in the last 24 hours. The situation improved marginally in some districts, as rivers showed a receding trend though the Brahmaputra at Dhubri and Kopili in Nagaon were flowing above the danger mark, the officials said.
Also read:Assam CM visits Silchar, reviews flood situation
The Cachar district administration is engaged in rescue operations in Silchar to evacuate marooned people to safety, with priority on shifting ailing persons to hospital, Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli said. Two drones have been deployed in Silchar of Cachar district for carrying out the flood inundation mapping as well as to provide the relief materials in the inaccessible areas.
Eight NDRF teams comprising 207 personnel from Itanagar and Bhubaneswar, along with an Army unit with 120 personnel and nine boats from Dimapur have been stationed in Silchar. However, the ASDMA earlier reported that many areas under the Raha revenue circle in the Nagaon district are still under flood waters. Nearly 1.42 lakh people of 155 villages under the Raha revenue circle have been affected by the current wave of floods.
In the Nagaon district, children have participated in preschool activities in the relief camp itself. "We're making children participate in preschool activities in relief camp (Nagaon) itself, with morning prayers, physical exercises, drawings. Union Min Sarbananda Sonowal visited this camp earlier," NP Doley, Integrated Child Development Services supervisor told media.
The flood situation in Kampur area in Assam's Nagaon district has slightly improved, but many areas under Kampur revenue circle are still under flood waters. The devastating flood damaged many houses, roads, bridges, and embankments in Kampur revenue circle areas. (With Agency Inputs)
