Four more dead as rain worsens Assam floods

Four more people have lost their lives to the Assam flood this year. The water levels of Brahmaputra at Dhubri and Nematighat were above the danger mark.

Guwahati (Assam):The flood situation in Assam deteriorated with rising water levels in major rivers and four more people losing their lives, amid incessant rain for three consecutive days on Thursday triggering landslides in many places across the state, officials said. Two children, aged 11 and 8, were crushed to death when a landslide triggered by heavy rain in neighbouring Meghalaya led to the wall collapse of a house in Azad Nagar of Goalpara district, they said.

One person each, including a woman, drowned in floodwater in Dima Hasao and Udalguri districts, the officials said. The death toll due to flood and landslides in the state reached 46 on Thursday, they said. The road connectivity among three districts - Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi- in Barak Valley and the rest of the state has been disrupted, following landslides on National Highway-6 in Meghalaya, which links Guwahati and Silchar in Assam with the neighbouring state and also with Tripura.

Over 10,51,575 people have been affected by the flood in 24 districts including Bajali, Baksa, Barpeta, Biswanath, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Darrang, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Dhubri, Dima Hasao, Goalpara, Hojai, Kamrup and Kamrup Metro, according to a bulletin issued by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA). The water levels in the Brahmaputra and its tributaries were maintaining a rising trend, while Manas, Pagladiya, Puthimari, Kopili, and Gauranga rivers were flowing above the danger level.

The water levels of Brahmaputra at Dhubri and Nematighat were above the danger mark. Alerts have been sounded in Karbi Anglong, Morigaon and Nagaon districts after the opening of four sluice gates of NEEPCO's Karbi Langpi Hydro Electric Project at Langdong in Dima Hasao district. Heavy rain continued to lash across the state, leading to floods in urban areas of Kamrup Metro, Kamrup, Bajali, Darrang, Goalpara, Morigaon, Nalbari and Udalguri. Several landslides were reported in Guwahati city with three persons getting injured in Ajantanagar in the Noonmati area here.

Roadblocks due to landslides were reported in Kamakhya Nursery, Joypur in Kharguli area, Bonda Colony, South Sarania, Amayapur in Geetanagar and 12 Mile. The downpour has also damaged two electric poles near Raj Bhavan here, while restoration work was going on to clear a road that led to Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika's residence at Nizarapar. The road was blocked by rubbles caused by a landslide on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Northeast Frontier Railway cancelled or diverted several trains following waterlogging on the tracks between Nalbari and Ghograpar of the Rangiya division in Lower Assam, according to a spokesperson. Guwahati came to a standstill due to waterlogging in most parts of the city for the third consecutive day with Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagae, Zoo Road, Six Mile, Noonmati, Bhootnath, Maligaon, Bamunimaidam, Rajgarh Link Road, Hatigaon, Rukimingaon, Fatasil, Gotanagar among others severely affected.

The administrations of flood-affected districts have issued alerts, urging people not to go out of their homes unless it is urgent or there is a medical emergency. The deputy commissioners of most of the Lower Assam districts have also issued directives to all schools and colleges to remain closed till Saturday, following the Regional Meteorological Centre's warning of "heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall in Assam and Meghalaya".

The RMC also issued an 'orange alert' on Friday and Saturday for the two states. The district authorities have opened 124 relief camps and 46 relief distribution centres. Altogether 61,498 people have taken shelter in the relief camps with Hojai having the highest number of inmates. (PTI)