Guwahati: Eleven people have died in the second wave of floods and landslides in Assam that has affected nearly 26.5 lakh people across 28 districts. Nine deaths were reported in the last 24 hours from Dhemaji, Golaghat, Jorhat, Barpeta and Dhubri, while two persons died in landslides in Kamrup Metropolitan and Dima Hasao districts.
According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), a total of 3,181 villages under 103 revenue circles have been submerged by the steadily increasing water levels of the Brahmaputra and its tributaries. The ASDMA report on Sunday said 166 houses have been damaged.
Barpeta is worst affected with over 7 lakh people marooned and taking shelter in 28 relief camps across the district. More than 16,000 people in 18 flood-affected districts are living in 85 temporary relief camps.
The state government has opened 242 Relief Distribution Centres stocked with rice, dal, salt, mustard oil, wheat bran supplies, besides baby food, tarpaulin, cattle feed, sanitary napkins and other essentials.
According to officials, 90% of Kaziranga National Park and 155 of its camps are submerged in water. Even as time cards have been issued to regulate speeding vehicles plying along the national highway, seven hog deer were killed by the same, while another seven have been rescued.
A total of 87,607 hectares of crop land has been destroyed in the flood-affected districts. Over a hundred fish farmers have been affected in Lakhimpur district in approximately 16 hectares of water area, while more than 10 lakh big and small animals, and poultry are struggling for survival.
Heavy erosion has been reported from Udalguri, Barpeta, Morigaon and Sonitpur districts damaging about 20 houses. A number of embankments, roads and bridges have been washed away in flood waters. Villagers blamed it on sub-standard construction work that led to the breaching of embankments at several places.
The Brahmaputra and its tributaries are flowing above the danger level in several places. Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), assisted by the civil administration, are engaged in rescue and relief operations in the flood-affected areas. As many as 127 boats have been deployed for rescue work, and 7,833 people have been evacuated to safety, so far.
The Indian Army has also been assisting SDFR and civil administration in rescue operations. On July 13, about 150 villagers, including women and children, were rescued from villages in Baksa district as the Beki river continued to flow above danger level. Army personnel were seen carrying children and elderly villagers to safety on their backs.
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