Situation in Assam still critical, toll 17

At least 17 persons have been killed as flood situation in Assam turned grim affecting an estimated 12 lakh people in 18 districts, reports Digambar Patowary.

The flood situation in Assam continued to be critical on Friday, with an estimated 20 lakh people affected. The death toll now stands at 17.

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The mighty Brahmaputra is still flowing over the danger level in Guwahati, Tezpur, Dhubri and at Nematighat in Jorhat district.

Relief operations are on in 19 of the 27 districts that have been affected by the flood. Assam Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Bhumidhar Barman said the state machinery had made all the rescue and relief arrangements. “The relief operation is in full swing, there is no shortage of relief material,” said Barman.

Dismissing the opposition’s criticism that Centre has not provided adequate help to flood-affected people in Assam, Barman added that the government had released Rs 700 crore for relief work.

A total number of 148 relief camps have been set up in flood-affected districts. In the 19 affected districts, 1,346 villages have been inundated. The worst-affected are Laximpur, Dhemaji, Jorhat, Morigaon and Kamrup district. Tributaries of the Brahmaputra have breached at 52 places in the state, mostly in these five districts.

On Friday, the surging river inundated eight forest camps in the Agartoli range of the Kaziranga National Park. So far, five rhinos, including a calf, have been killed by the floodwaters.