Assam floods: Death toll goes up to 49; over 31.55 lakh people across 24 districts affected

Guwahati: The flood situation in Assam remained very critical on Thursday as 10 more people lost their lives while 31.55 lakh are still affected in 24 districts. With Thursday’s deaths, the toll in the third wave of floods in the state rose to 49. The overall death figure in this year’s flood in Assam is 133. According to a report by Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), three people died during the day in Dhubri, two in Morigaon and one each in Dhemaji, Sonitpur, Barpeta, South Salmara and Nagaon districts. [caption id=“attachment_3942633” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. PTI[/caption] The number of affected people came down as it was 33.5 lakh on Thursday across 24 districts. The ASDMA said 31.55 lakh people are affected at present in Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Sonitpur, Udalguri, Darrang, Nalbari, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara, Kamrup, Kamrup Metropolitan, Morigaon, Nagaon, Karbi Anglong, Golaghat, Jorhat, Majuli, Sivasagar and Dibrugarh districts. Dhubri is the worst affected with 8.13 lakh people hit, followed by Morigaon with 5.30 lakh people hit by the deluge. Currently, 2,584 villages are under water and 1.67 lakh hectares of crop area is damaged, ASDMA said. Authorities are running 602 relief camps and distribution centres in 21 districts, where 1,01,035 people are taking shelter at present. The NDRF, SDRF and district administration personnel have rescued nearly 3,500 people to safer places in many districts. The floods have damaged embankments, roads, bridges and other infrastructures in Udalguri, Barpeta, Chirang, Kokrajhar, Nagaon, Golaghat, Lakhimpur, Dhubri, Morigaon, Jorhat, and Majuli. Heavy erosion was witnessed in Udalguri and Majuli districts, ASDMA said. Currently, Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger marks at Guwahati, Nimatighat in Jorhat, Tezpur in Sonitpur, Goalpara and Dhubri towns. Other rivers like Dhansiri at Numaligarh in Golaghat, Jia Bharali at NT Road Crossing in Sonitpur, Kopili at Dharamtul in Nagaon, Beki at Road Bridge in Barpeta and Kushiyara at Karimganj town are flowing above the danger marks. Vast forest areas in Kaziranga National Park, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, and Lawkhua wildlife sanctuary are under the flood waters, the report added.