Road link still cut off,Assam flood situation serious

Guwahati, Sep 2 (UNI) The North East remained cut off from the rest of the country as its main road link, National Highway 31, was overtopped about 40 km from Assam's capital Guwahati for the third day today.

The flood condition in Majuli river island took a serious turn with only a marginal portion of this world's largest inhabited river island remaining dry, sources said.

In Kaziranga National Park(KNP), more than 60 per cent of the area was inundated, forcing animals to flee to higher lands.

The NH 31 was overtopped by the Puthimari river at Rangiya in Kamrup (rural) district early on Sunday morning and a 200 mt stretch still continuing to be under water, Deputy Commissioner RC Jain informed.

He added that the water level was increasing since this morning and the road is unlikely to be opened for vehicular traffic soon.

The army and Air Force have been withdrawn after their help was enlisted in rescue operations, Mr Jain said, adding that all marooned people had been rescued.

The Puthimari continued to flow above the danger level at 52.35 mts.

The administration was now concentrating on relief measures, with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi also having visited the area yesterday.

Mr Gogoi had also announced of stern steps against erring Water Resources department officials as the Puthimari had breached newly built embankments. In other lower Assam districts of Nalbari and Barpeta, the situation continued to be grim with almost all major rivers flowing above the danger level, fed by incessant rain in the state and neighbouring Bhutan.

The Pagladiya and Beki rivers created havoc in the two districts, dislodging scores of villages and submerging vast tracts of land.

Meanwhile, in Majuli subdivision of Jorhat district, more than 80 per cent of the island was submerged by gushing waters of the Brahmaputra, dislodging about 90 per cent population of the island.

MORE UNI SG PL RN1650