Breach in river embankment floods Dhemaji,officials issue warning

Guwahati, May 29 (UNI) A breach in the embankment of Jiadhol river flooded Dhemaji snapping road communication with the rest of the state and forcing the authorities to sound a warning to the people.

The Dhemaji district administration has warned inhabitants of a hundred villages in the area to be prepared for 'any eventuality'.

Dhemaji is one of the most flood prone districts of Assam.

Sources pointed out that the loss was more if the people were not prepared. ''But if they are ready to face the fury of floods, they will be in a better position to mitigate the losses.'' The district administration has also formed 562 rescue teams, each comprising five members. The teams are equipped with ropes and first aid kits among others and members of the teams were trained by the UNDP under a special programme.

Official sources said though the breach, caused by floods last year, was plugged only recently, it breached again yesterday at Takjuri. As a result of the 20 metre wide breach National Highway 52 was submerged at Samarajan, around 18 km from Dhemaji town.

Road communication between the district and the rest of the state has been cut off. However, small vehicles were plying by an alternative road through Ghilamora, sources added.

Officials from Dhemaji said NH 52 was breached at three places and repair was yet to be completed. A sub-way was constructed to restore communication. But it was overtopped by gushing waters of the Jiadhol river this morning.

Officials also said severe erosion was posing threat to the embankment of Jiadhol river in three other places--Morulchuk, Holodunga and Deheri--and the staff of the E&D Department were working to plug the breach.

Though the reason for the sudden flood was yet to be ascertained, it is believed that rainfall and bursting of natural dams created by rainwater in Arunachal Pradesh was the cause.

In fact all the north bank rivers originating in the hills of Arunachal have been recording rapid rise in water level. With the river bed already rising due to sedimentation, authorities fear these rivers will cause catastrophe in the north bank in the coming weeks.

UNI MT PL RN1450