Kaziranga (Assam): Assam's flood situation remained critical on Tuesday, with over 6.5 lakh people reeling from the second wave of flooding, as the Indian Air Force (IAF) rescued 13 stranded fishermen from the severely-hit Dibrugarh district, an official said.
The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) had requested the IAF to rescue the fishermen from Hatia Ali, a 'char' (sandbar) area in Dibrugarh, who were stranded in the floodwaters. 'ASDMA requested IAF to airlift these 13 stranded fishermen. All the expenditure for airlifting the people will be borne by ASDMA', the official said.
Earlier on Sunday, the IAF had rescued 8 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel and a revenue official from Jonai in Dhemaji district when they were stranded in another sandbar area during relief operations. Dibrugarh district has been severely affected in the current wave with the major town in Upper Assam inundated for the sixth consecutive day.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said on Monday that the situation in Dibrugarh was critical with the Brahmaputra flowing above the danger level and machines unable to drain out the water from the town.
The flood situation in the state turned critical since Sunday following incessant rainfall in Arunachal Pradesh and a population of over 6.50 lakh affected in 19 districts.
The death toll has risen to 45 in this year's flood, storm and landslides The affected districts in the current wave are Kamrup, Golaghat, Majuli, Lakhimpur, Karimganj, Cachar, Dhemaji, Morigaon, Udalguri, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Nagaon, Sivasagar, Darrang, Nalbari, Sonitpur, Tamulpur, Biswanath and Jorhat have been inundated by flood waters.
Lakhimpur remained the worst-hit district with 1,43,983 people reeling under flood waters, followed by Dhemaji with 1,01,333 affected people and Cachar with 66,195 affected population. Altogether 8,142 displaced people were taking shelter in 72 relief camps, with another 64 relief distribution centres also functional.
The floods have also severely affected the famed Kaziranga National Park, submerging 95 out of its 233 forest camps. The park authorities have evacuated six camps and are closely monitoring the situation as herds of elephants begin migrating towards safer areas through designated corridors.
According to the park authority, the flood waters have submerged all 34 camps in the Agratoli range, 20 in the Kaziranga range, 10 in the Bagori range, 5 in the Burapahar range, 6 in the Bokakhat range and 20 in the Biswanath Wildlife Division.
Sonali Ghosh, Field Director of Kaziranga National Park, said that a wooden bridge near the Moshguli Camp in Agoratoli Range was washed away by floodwaters on Monday, July 1. "Herds of elephants have started moving towards Karbi Anglong through the Hati Dandi corridor. Heavy traffic diversion has been requested for the NH 715 stretch under Nagaon and Golaghat districts. Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) has also been issued," Ghosh said.
She also said that rescue teams and veterinary care units are on standby for immediate deployment. "Boats, boatlines, barricades, raincoats, rescue materials, and medicines have been procured and are already deployed. Country boats, speedboats and mechanised boats have been strategically deployed in key areas for swift response," Ghosh said.
The major rivers flowing above the danger level are Brahmaputra (Tezpur), Subansiri (Bedatighat), Dikhou (Sivasagar), Disang (Nanglamuraghat), Burhi Dihing (Chenimari and Khowang)), Jia-Bharali (Nt Road Crossing), Beki (Road Bridge), Kushiyara (Karimganj).
Several agencies, including NDRF, SDRF, army, air force and local administration, have been pressed into rescue operations in the affected areas, the bulletin said.
