Asom flood turns catastrophic

Guwahati, Aug 1 (UNI) The flood situation in Asom has worsened causing major damage to the flood control infrastructure as the death toll mounted to 16 in the state so far, official reports said.

The latest count said 4.5 million people were affected by the flood water in almost all the 24 of the 27 districts of the state.

So far 57 embankments had been destroyed, putting a hole on government claims of flood management, the reports said.

''I have asked for a report how many embankments could be breached'', said Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi while monitoring the flood situation.

The opposition cried foul that Rs 127 crores spent for flood management in the last two years were ''completely swindled'' by ministers, bureaucrats and contractors.

However, both humans and animals in the entire valley continued to bear the brunt of flood. The world famous Kaziranga National Park was completely submerged and the second most important park, Manas National Park, was also under water.

The administration was engaged in relief and rescue operation while the police and para-military forces were keeping an eye on the possible attack by militants immediately after the drying up, they said.

So far 385 relief camps and 264 temporary shelters had been opened as more than five lakh hectares of land, including 1.55 lakh hectares of crop land, was affected. More than 900 houses were damaged.

The flood also severely affected road communication as six concrete bridges, 15 semi-permanent timber bridges and 45 approaches to the bridges were damaged. National Highway number 52 was breached at four places on way to Dhemaji district, thereby cutting off the road communication to the district. More than 50 piped water supply schemes and more than 3000 spot water supply schemes were damaged.

According to a report of the Water Resources Department, the mighty river Brahmaputra was still flowing above the danger mark at Dibrugarh, Neamatighat, Tezpur, Guwahati, Goalpara and Dhubri.

However, water level of the river was falling in Dibrugarh and Neamatighat and was maintaining a steady trend in other places.

The army has also been helping the civil adminstration.

UNI