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Assam flood situation continues to remain grim, over 24 lakh people still affected
Barpeta and Morigaon districts are the other worst-hit districts, where 3.52 lakh and 3.15 lakh population, respectively, are braving the monsoon menace.
Assam’s flood situation continues to remain grim on Tuesday, as over 24 lakh people are still hit hard across the north-eastern state, which keeps a date with monsoon fury every year.
Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) authorities said of the 33 districts in the state, 24 are still reeling under floods.
Goalpara in lower Assam is the worst-affected, as 4.58 lakh population is estimated to have been ravaged by floods.
Barpeta and Morigaon districts are the other worst-hit districts, where 3.52 lakh and 3.15 lakh population, respectively, are braving the monsoon menace.
Around 44,500 people have been displaced by floodwaters and have taken shelter at 397 relief camps, where local administrations are pulling out all stops to ensure maintaining social distancing norms and other precautionary measures amid the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak.
On Tuesday, two more deaths, due to drowning, were reported from Nagaon and Morigaon districts, as the toll climbed to 85, which is significantly higher than Covid-19-related fatalities at 58 to date.
Another 26 lives in the state have been lost due to landslides caused by heavy rains since May.
Rescue personnel evacuated 869 stranded people by boats in nine of the flood-hit districts on Tuesday and shifted them to safer locations on higher grounds.
Floodwaters have inundated cropland, measuring up to 1.10 lakh hectares (ha) across the state.
ASDMA’s latest bulletin said 66 roads in six flood-affected districts are either submerged or damaged.
At least six bridges have been damaged, including five and one in Darrang and Barpeta districts, respectively.
Darrang is located on the north bank of the mighty Brahmaputra river, which is flowing above the danger mark, along with Dhansiri, Jia Bharali, Kopili, Beki, Gaurang, Kushiyara and Sankosh rivers, at several places, Central Water Commission (CWC) authorities said.
While 90% of 430 square-kilometre Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNTPR) -- the largest habitat of one-horned rhinos in the world. – is submerged, the authorities said.
So far, 116 wild animals, including nine rhinos, have drowned to death in and around the park this monsoon.
