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Assam floods: Tremendous work in rescue, relief efforts in Silchar, says Himanta
Over 2.5 million people in 27 districts are affected in the present spate of flooding in Assam, which started on June 13
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma made his second visit in four days to the Silchar town in Barak Valley on Sunday morning and said the Cachar district administration and all other agencies involved in rescue and relief work in the flood-affected areas are doing a tremendous work.
Large parts Silchar, the headquarters of Cachar district and the second largest urban centre in Assam, have been under 5-8 feet of water since Monday following the overflowing of Barak River and a man-made breach on the Betukhandi embankment, located around 6 km away, on Sunday, which led to large-scale flooding, which residents say is unseen in the town’s history.
“Under the present circumstances, which is unprecedented, the Cachar district administration and all other agencies involved in rescue and relief have done tremendous work,” Sarma told journalists in Silchar.
On Thursday, the chief minister 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.
On Sunday, Sarma surveyed some flooded areas in Silchar on an inflated boat and also spoke to affected residents. Cachar deputy commissioner Keerthi Jalli accompanied the chief minister.
“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,” Sarma said.
According to state government officials, over 2.5 million people in 27 districts are affected till Saturday in the present spate of flooding, which started on June 13. Four more persons including 2 children died after drowning on Saturday taking the total death toll in floods and landslides since April to 122.
According to a bulletin by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), a total of 233,271 persons displaced by flooding were still taking shelter in 896 relief camps in 22 of the affected districts on Saturday.
Nearly 110 of them were in Cachar district alone with the district headquarters Silchar recording over 25,000 persons in relief camps.
A total of 175 boats were pressed into action on Saturday along with NDRF, SDRF and Army personnel to rescue 5,724 marooned persons. Cachar district alone recorded 5,487 of those rescues.
Officials said the water level in Barak River at Lakhipur and Annapurna Ghat is flowing above danger level. At Annapurna Ghat, the river was flowing at 21.26 meters on Saturday evening while at Lakhipur it is flowing at 25.15 meters.
While only 4 cm of decrease in water level was recorded on Friday, on Saturday, 18 cm fall in Barak’s water level was recorded. According to the officials, the water level is decreasing slowly due to floods in Bangladesh.
According to the district disaster management authority officials, over 280,000 people in Cachar, including nearly 73,000 children, are still affected by floods.
