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Assam floods: 52 people dead, over 24 lakh affected as situation remains grim
Second spell of floods has left hundreds displaced and homeless. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said situation was improving
Flood situation in Assam worsened over the past 24 hours leaving 52 people dead and several thousands homeless, news agency ANI reported. Over 24 lakh people have been affected across the state as 30 out of the state's 35 districts remain severely affected in the second wave of floods facing the state.
The situation has remained grim over the past one month leading to loss of lives and damaging infrastructure besides causing crop destruction and loss of livestock. Thousands remain internally displaced and homeless across the northeastern state.
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"Due to erosion, my house was completely destroyed a month ago. Now, my family and I are living in another villager's house. We have no home. I have two daughters, a mother, and a wife. The house we were staying in is also flooded, and we are now living under a makeshift tent at a relief camp," said Jubbar Ali to ANI.
Ali (39) now lives at a relief camp in Barpeta district after losing his concrete house to flood waters. He, along with his wife, two daughters and an ailing mother sought refuge at the house of another villager, but floodwaters submerged that house as well.
Requesting the government to save the area and villagers, Ali said almost 500 families living in Rowmari Pathar area have lost their lands due to constant erosion and floods every year.
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Safikul Alom said almost 100 to 150 houses were destroyed during this cycle of floods and most houses in his village are flooded.
“We are facing lots of problems, and the erosion and flood problems are not minor issues; they are significant problems. People's dreams have been shattered. The entire village is now in the middle of the river. People who lost their homes are now living in makeshift tents on the road. If the government takes protective measures here, we will be saved,” Alom told ANI.
River erosion and floods are major issues in Assam's Barpeta district. Nearly 1,40,000 people are affected and 179 villages submerged in addition to crop losses at around 1,571.5 hectares of crop area.
Another worst hit district is Dhubri, where 775,721 people have been affected. Floodwaters has submerged 63,490.97 hectares of crop area, and 3,518 villages across 112 revenue circles are affected.
The Brahmaputra River's water level is above the danger mark at Neamatighat, Guwahati, Goalpara, and Dhubri, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).
Also read | Assam floods: Brahmaputra above danger mark, CM Himanta says water receding
Assam Chief minister visited Dibrugarh town on Friday evening to review the flood situation and said the situation was improving and the government is trying to help everybody.
Governor Gulab Chand Kataria and Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal also visited flood-affected districts, and state ministers are stationed in various districts to monitor the situation.
The State Disaster Response Force has been deployed along with the NDRF and fire services to carry out rescue operations across the state.
(With ANI inputs)
