Flood situation worsens in Assam: 9 more die taking toll to 71

Guwahati, Jun 20: The flood situation in Assam worsened on Sunday with the deluge claiming nine more lives, including three children. This has taken the death toll to 71.

While six persons died due to floods, 3 others lost their lives due to landslides which were all reported from Cachar district. At least 8 persons have gone missing from Dibrugarh while one person each is missing from Cachar, Hojai, Tamulpur and Udalguri districts. The total numbers of people who died due to the floors and landslides this year has gone up to 71.

Nearly 5,137 villages have been hit hard by the rains. Barpeta is the worst hit with over 12.76 lakh suffering. This is followed by Darrang where 3.94 lakh people affected. In Nagaon the number of people hit by the deluge is 3.64 lakh.

Bajali, Baksa, Barpeta, Biswanath, Bongaigaon, Cachar, Chirang, Darrang, Dhemaji, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Dima-Hasao, Goalpara, Golaghat, Hailakandi, Hojai, Jorhat, Kamrup, Kamrup (M), Karbi Anglong West, Karimganj, Kokrajhar, Lakhimpur, Majuli, Morigaon, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sivasagar, Sonitpur, South Salmara, Tamulpur, Tinsukia and Udalguri are the districts have been affected badly.

Some illages situated at Brahmaputra River bank have submerged. The affected population is 2.41 lakhs, affected crop area is 5,174 hectares. We've opened 30 relief camps with continued rescue operations," Udayaditya Gogoi, ACS-District Development Commissioner told ANI.

Anti-poaching camps of Kaziranga National Park inundated in flood waters due to incessant rainfall, ANI said in a tweet.

Water level in Brahmaputra river still increasing, if situation remains the same then there's possibility of flood waters inundating more areas of park: Ramesh Gogoi, DFO told ANI.

The Army and the National Disaster Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been deployed along with the State Disaster Response Force, Emergency and Fire Services, civil administration and trained volunteers.

A total of 744 relief camps have been set up by the administration where over 1.86 lakh people have taken shelter. The flood affected villagers have shifted either to relief camps or are staying on the highways.

Meanwhile the Indian Meteorological Department has predicted more rain in Assam and Meghalaya till Thursday. Extreme and heavy rainfall has been predicted in the next 48 hours. The river Koili is flowing above the danger level. The Brahmaputra, Beki, Manas, Pagladia, Puthimari, Kopili, Jia-Bharali and Subansari are also flowing above the danger levels.