Guwahati: Five more people died in rain-related incidents in Assam on Sunday, taking the toll to 127, as the state continued to battle devastating floods across 28 districts. The five deaths were reported from Barpeta, Darrang, Cachar, Morigaon and Karimganj districts, said a bulletin by Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).
Over 2.2 million people in 28 of the state’s 35 districts still remained affected by the floods, and nearly 217,413 displaced people were taking shelter in 680 relief camps, said ASDMA. Of these, 109,623 have taken refuge in the 230 camps located in Cachar, one of the worst-affected districts.
The flood situation in Silchar town in Assam’s Cachar district continued to remain grim with several areas still being submerged under 5-8 feet of deluge for the seventh consecutive day. Nearly 200,000 residents in the region were facing a shortage of food, water and other essentials for the seventh consecutive day. The flooding in Silchar reached unprecedented levels because a part of the Barak river’s embankment was damaged by locals in the Bethukandi area on June 17, around 6 km from the town.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma undertook a visit to Silchar town in
Barak Valley on Sunday morning (his second visit to the headquarters in Cachar district in four days) and said rescue and relief work in view of unprecedented flooding has been tremendous.
“Under the present circumstance, which is unprecedented, the Cachar district administration and all other agencies involved in rescue and relief have done tremendous work,” Sarma told reporters in Silchar. “I think the situation in Silchar will improve slowly. If there is no fresh rainfall, flooding in the town should come down in the next 48 hours.”
{{/usCountry}}“Under the present circumstance, which is unprecedented, the Cachar district administration and all other agencies involved in rescue and relief have done tremendous work,” Sarma told reporters in Silchar. “I think the situation in Silchar will improve slowly. If there is no fresh rainfall, flooding in the town should come down in the next 48 hours.”
{{/usCountry}}On Thursday, the CM undertook an aerial survey of the district and interacted with officials of three districts in Barak Valley, Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi, which are affected by floods.