Guwahati/Agartala: Amidst the COVID-19 surge, around three lakh people have been affected as the pre-monsoon flood situation deteriorated in eleven districts of Assam, officials said on Thursday.
Officials of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said that roughly 20,000 people are taking shelter at relief camps at Nalbari, Goalpara and Tinsukia districts while other affected people have made their own makeshift arrangements at higher places. The ASDMA officials said that heavy and incessant rain since Tuesday has led to the flooding of 321 villages in 11 of Assam's 33 districts while a man drowned at Rongjuli village in western Assam's Goalpara district on Wednesday.
Of the 11 districts, Goalpara, Nalbari and Tinsukia are the worst affected. According to the officials, most rivers are in spate but the mighty Brahmaputra, Jia Bharali and Puthimari are flowing above the danger mark in Jorhat, Sonitpur and Kamrup districts respectively.
The officials said that the floods have so far damaged crops in 2,678 hectares and affected 44,331 domestic animals and 9,350 poultry. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal held a meeting with senior officials of the concerned departments in Guwahati on Wednesday and Thursday and reviewed the flood situation in the state. He asked the officials to ensure the all Covid-19 protocols including social distancing, hand washing, wearing of masks are continued at the relief camps in a bid to prevent the spread of coronavirus during the flood season.