Assam floods: Around 40 lakh people affected in 27 districts, death toll climbs to 73

The flood situation in Assam is not yet stable as many parts of the state are submerged underwater. Around 40 lakh people have been affected in 27 districts and the fatalities due to flood has gone up to 73 so far. Meanwhile, the state administration is doing its best to tackle the situation as 748 relief camps have been set up across 24 districts.

Guwahati: The flood situation in Assam remains grim as around 40 lakh people in 27 of the state's 33 districts have been affected so far.

Several fresh low-lying regions have also been affected and the death toll has gone up to 73.

Dhubri is the worst hit with over 8.72 lakh people affected, followed by Barpeta with more than 4.78 lakh people and Goalpara with around 4.28 lakh population, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).

At the north bank of river Brahmaputra, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, Biswanath, Darang, Barpeta, Kamrup are severely affected by flood where at the south bank of the river, Morigaon, Nagaon, Golaghat, Jorhat, Dibrugarh are submerged in the flood.

The SDRF, district administrations and local people have rescued 2,737 people during the last 24 hours by deploying 113 boats across the state.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal visited the submerged areas of the Kaziranga National Park via Mora Difalu river under Bagori Range and took stock of the animals there. He also went to flood-affected forest camps at Gorakati, Mora Difalu and Mur Phuloni and interacted with forest guards, who are carrying out strict surveillance in the park.

The ASDMA bulletin said that 105 camps out of 223 at the Kaziranga National Park and 24 out of 25 camps at the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary have been affected by the deluge.

The inundation has so far claimed the lives of 76 animals, while 121 others have been rescued in the Kaziranga National Park, the bulletin said.

At present, 3,218 villages are underwater and 1,31,368.27 hectares of crop areas have been damaged across Assam, ASDMA said.

Authorities are running 748 relief camps and distribution centres across 24 districts, where 49,313 people are taking shelter currently, the bulletin said.

The authorities have distributed a total of 17,540.8 quintals of rice, dal and salt, and 32,581.27 litres of mustard oil along with other relief material such as tarpaulin, baby food, candles, matchboxes, mosquito nets, biscuits, soaps, drinking water, cattle feed, masks and wheat bran.

Massive erosions have been witnessed at different places of Bongaigaon and Udalguri districts, ASDMA said.

It is to be noted that the rescue operations are on in affected areas and various teams of SDRF, NDRF, state police and locals are helping those affected by the flood.

(With inputs from IANS)