Flash flood wreaks havoc in Dhemaji, 40,000 rendered homeless

Guwahati, July 12 (UNI) Flash flood has wreaked havoc in Dhemaji district of upper AsOm, causing massive breach in National Highway and rendering 40,000 people homeless since last night.

According to the Dhemaji district officials, flash flood in the Kumotia river breached 300 mt of National Highway 37 near Samarjan cutting the rail and road link with the district.

Altogether 120 villages had been submerged as flood water had been flowing above the roof level.

So far 40,000 people had been directly affected, half of them had taken shelter in the two relief camps, opened so far by the district administration as the rest had taken shelter in the railway stations, school buildings and other government buildings.

The Army informed that they would take three days to move in because of the breach, while Air Force had not been able to air drop the food packet as there were no sufficient high grounds for that.

The district authorities had pressed into service village volunteers activating the Disaster Management plan and about 6000 such volunteers were working round the clock. Fortunately from 1400 hours the water level had been receding.

The flash flood was caused due to heavy rain in the Arunachal Pradesh and the Kumotia river strayed from its natural course.

UNI