Assam floods: IAF choppers rescue 105 persons, drop food material in Dima Hisao

Two people died on Thursday, taking the total to 11 in a week. The number of those affected rose to over 717,000.

Updated on: May 20, 2022, 04:19:45 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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A week after torrential rains started lashing the state, flood situation in Assam remained grim on Thursday with two more deaths taking the total to 11 since May 13 and the number of those affected rising to over 717,000.

In 7 days, 27 districts of Assam have got affected by floods. (PTI)

According to a bulletin issued on Thursday evening by Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 1,790 villages in 75 revenue circles of 27 districts have been affected by floods. Standing crop in nearly 64,000 hectares has also been affected.

Two deaths were reported on Thursday, both in Kampur in Nagaon district, taking the total deaths in one week to 11. According to ASDMA, 80,298 persons who have been displaced by floods are taking shelter in 167 relief camps in 14 of the affected districts.

Rescue efforts continued on Thursday with 7,229 persons evacuated by 130 boats in Cachar, Darrang, Hojai and Nagaon districts. Two helicopters were deployed by the Indian Air Force and they rescued 105 persons. IAF choppers were also used to drop food materials at Halflong, headquarters of the worst-affected Dima Hasao district, on Thursday.

Communication between the rest of the country with Barak Valley in Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur continued to remain disrupted as a result of damage to roads and train tracks because of heavy rain and landslides.

As part of an agreement signed between Flybig airlines and Assam government, special flights connecting Guwahati and Silchar, the headquarters of Cachar district in Barak Valley, started from Thursday.

As a special measure, price of tickets has been capped at ₹3,000 each, officials at Guwahati airport informed. The special flights will operate for 10 days.

Due to heavy rains, mobile connectivity in Dima Hasao and some areas of Cachar district also got affected. On Thursday, Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) started providing free wi-fi facility at four stations in two affected districts.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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