Toll due to Assam floods, landslides rises to 123; Brahmaputra's water level expected to recede by Monday

The toll due to the Assam floods rose to 123 on Sunday, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the entire country stands with those affected by the deluge. While 97 people have died in flood-related incidents, 26 were killed in landslides, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said. More than 26 lakh people in 27 districts were affected, Shillong Times reported, adding that the number of affected persons reduced by 1.6 lakh since Friday. Goalpara continued to be the most affected district with 4.7 lakh people hit by the floods, followed by Barpeta (4.24 lakh) and Morigaon (3.75 lakh), it said. About 2.78 lakh people were affected in Dhubri district, 2.49 lakh people in South Salmara district, 1.40 lakh people in Nagaon district, 1.01 lakh people in Kamrup (Metro) district, 93,000 people in Golaghat district, 89,000 people in Dhemaji district, 78,000 people in Kamrup district, 77,000 people in Darrang district, India Today reported. Twenty-seven of the state’s 33 districts have been ravaged by floods. The Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger mark at Guwahati, Tezpur, Dhubri and Goalpara towns. Its tributaries such as Dhansiri, Jia Bharali, Kopili, Beki and Sankosh at Golokoganj in Dhubri are also flowing above the danger levels at various places. Roads, bridges and culverts have been damaged at various places in Biswanath, Lakhimpur, Dhubri, Chirang, Nagaon, Jorhat, Barpeta, Majuli districts. Massive erosions have been witnessed at different places in Biswanath, South Salmara, Chirang and Majuli districts, the ASDMA said. The ASDMA bulletin said the floods have so far claimed the lives of 129 animals of different species, while 157 others were rescued in Kaziranga National Park. At Kaziranga, 106 out of the 227 camps have been submerged. At Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park in Darrang and Sonitpur districts, 17 out of the 40 camps are under water. Meanwhile, 90 percent of the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, which has a higher population of rhinos than Kaziranga, remains submerged, The Indian Express reported. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department predicted that heavy rains will continue over Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya till Sunday evening. The Central Water Commission also said that the water level in the Brahmaputra river will recede by 24 cm by Monday afternoon. The Centre had announced on 22 July that Rs 346 crore will be provided to the state under the Flood Program Management scheme. Modi said in the 67th Mann ki Baat programme that governments, NDRF teams, disaster response teams, self-help groups are working in tandem to provide relief and rescue in all possible ways. He also cautioned people against infectious diseases and asked them to pay special attention to cleanliness. With inputs from PTI