Fresh floods affect over 65,000 in Assam

Guwahati: Because of incessant rains in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Bhutan, the water-level of the Brahmaputra and several of its tributaries have once again crossed the red mark causing fresh floods that have affected over 65,000 people in eight district of Assam.

According to the flood bulletin released by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Chirang and Kokrajhar districts were affected by floods in the past 24 hours.

The situation in Chirang district of Bodoland Territorial Autonomous District Council (BTAD) has turned worse because of flood caused due to heavy rainfall in neighbouring Bhutan.

The state government has opened 15 relief camps in Lakhimpur, Chirang, Kokrajhar and Golaghat districts to help those whose homes have either been damaged or washed away in floods.

More than 1,222 people are taking shelter in these relief camps. The flood victims in Upper Assam’s Tinsukia district accused that flood was caused after NEEPCO released water from its dam in neighbouring state of Arunachal Pradesh.

Assam is reeling under floods since June. From June to July, a total of 84 people lost their lives due to floods. More than 25 lakh people in 29 districts of the state had already been affected by the floods.

Informing that floodwater had receded, sources in the administration said that fresh wave of flood has also inundated Majuli and vast area of Kaziranga National Park once again.

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority has warned that the situation might turn worse as the Brahmaputra and its tributaries were flowing above the danger level at several places. The reason behind the rise in the water-level in the Brahmaputra and its tributaries is due to the heavy rains in catchment areas of neighbouring hilly states.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently visited Assam to take stock of the flood situation. Mr Modi met chief ministers of several northeastern states where floods and landslides created havoc.

He also announced a package of Rs 2,000 crore for the flood and landslide-affected states of the region.