Assam floods displace more than 50,000 people

Guwahati, Aug 21: Heavy rains triggered flash floods in Assam, displacing at least 50,000 people in the State"s Lakhimpur district, officials said, on Saturday, Aug 21.

However, till now no casualties in the floods have been reported.

According to the sources floodwaters of Singora river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra river, entered at least 40 villages forcing residents to take shelter on raised platforms and railway tracks.

“There has been a breach of about 20 to 30 metres in two embankments and that led to floodwaters entering human settlements," a district official said.

“We have sounded maximum alert and have already kept disaster management teams on standby. We are also taking stock of essentials and other commodities in the district," the official added.

“Huge amount of money sanctioned by the Central government for construction and repair works of embankments were pocketed by contractors and officials and the result is that one big push breaches the mud dykes," said Dharanidhar Das, a local resident.

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