Guwahati: The situation in Assam continues to be grim on Monday with overnight heavy rainfall across several parts of the state, leaving villages, towns and farmlands marooned in flood. A 'red' message alert, predicting very heavy rainfall across several districts of Assam, has been issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), for Monday.
The alert comes at a time when Assam is reeling under the first wave of flood. The state has been witnessing incessant rains in the last few days. According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 37,535 people in 10 districts of the state have been affected by the flood till Saturday.
More rains forecast-The Weather Bureau prediction forecast "heavy (7-11 cm in 24 hours) to very heavy (11-20 cm in 24 hrs) with extremely heavy rainfall (over 20 cm in 24 hours)" in lower Assam districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, Barpeta and Bongaigaon. As for Dhubri, Kamrup, Kamrup Metropolitan, Nalbari, Dima Hasao, Cachar, Goalpara and Karimganj districts, the Met department predicted "heavy to very heavy" rainfall as likely.
The Regional Meteorological Centre in Guwahati has issued an 'orange' message alert for Tuesday, and it was further downgraded to a 'yellow' warning for two days- Wednesday and Thursday. According to the weather lexicon, the 'red' alert denotes the denizens will have to take immediate action, while the 'orange' message signifies that the recipients will have to be prepared for action. The 'yellow' message's intent is that the recipients should watch and stay updated about the weather.
"Moisture incursion is very likely to continue due to strong low-level Southerly/Southwesterly winds from the Bay of Bengal to Northeast India during the next five days. Under its influence, fairly widespread rainfall activity with heavy to very heavy with extremely heavy rainfall/thunderstorm with lightning is very likely to continue over Assam during the next five days," the Met department said in a sepcial bulletin. The bulletin also warned of a likelihood of moderate flash floods over a few watersheds and neighbourhoods of Assam and Meghalaya.
Flood impact-According to statistics reeled out by the state, Lakhimpur is the worst affected followed by Dibrugarh and Tinsukia, with over 25,200, 3,800 people and nearly 2,700 persons, enumerated as food hit. The government has been operating one relief camp, where nine people have taken shelter while 16 relief distribution centres are doling out relief measures in three districts.
142 villages marooned-At present, 142 villages are submerged by floods. As much as 1,510.98 hectares of cultivated crops have been damaged across the state, according to the preliminary estimates of the ASDMA. The actual extent of damage will be known only after the flood recedes.
Massive erosions, landslides- Massive erosions have been reported in at least 12 districts - Biswanath, Bongaigaon, Dibrugarh, Kokrajhar, Lakhimpur, Majuli, Morigaon, Nagaon, Sivasagar, Sonitpur, South Salmara and Udalguri districts. The agency also reported landslides in Dima Hasao and Karimganj.
The ASDMA reported damges to embankments, roads, bridges and other infrastructure due to flooding in 17 districts- Sonitpur, Lakhimpur, Cachar, Dhemaji, Goalpara, Nagaon, Udalguri, Chirang, Dibrugarh, Kamrup, Karbi Anglong, Karimganj, Bongaigaon, Majuli, Morigaon, Sivasagar and South Salmara districts.
Brahmaputra breaches danger mark-The ASDMA handout also revealed that the Brahmaputra river at Neamatighat, its tributaries Puthimari at NH Road Crossing and Kopili at Kampur are flowing above the danger marks. It is pertinent to note Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has impressed upon the Union government to take up the Brahmaputra water issue with China following the flash floods in the northeastern state after China released its excess water into the river.
