Assam: Picture of devastation as water recedes
Guwahati,
Sep
13:
With
the
flooded
Brahmaputra
and
Barak
rivers
along
with
their
tributaries
receding,a
picture
of
utter
devastation
and
destruction
has
emerged
leaving
the
authorities
shell-shocked.
According to reports the worst affected districts were Cachar, Hailakandi, Lakhimpur and Baska. But nothing was comparable to the trail of devastation left by the Barak river.
The death toll in the third wave of flood stood at 42. The state government had promised to pay compensation of Rs 1 lakh each. But at least in dozen cases bodies were yet to be found and the government made it clear that compensation would be paid only after the post mortem report.
Almost the whole of Barak valley is still under water. From Kalian, foothills of Meghalaya, to Vairangate, foothills of Mizo Hills, vast stretches were under water and vehicular traffic stopped. Country boats were the only means of transport.
The rescue and relief operation was slow, unlike in the Brahmaputra valley, where the official machinery is efficient.
In the Brahmaputra valley, the situation had improved and barring a few areas of Barpeta, Dhubri and Goalpara as well as Morigaon district, the flood water had receded completely. However, in the river island Majuli the situation continued to be grim.
The government was grappling with 146 breaches in embankment and around 1100 small and medium damaged bridges.
Almost all the major national highways were badly damaged and the worst section was between Bhabanipur to Nalbari where a bridge was swept away by the flood.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had sent an SOS to the Prime Minister's Office for a huge flood relief fund to put the infrastructure back to shape.
UNI