Seven dead, more than 2 lakh people affected in Assam’s pre-monsoon flood

Officials of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said that two people died in southern Assam’s Cachar district during the past 24 hours while five had died earlier in landslides in Dima Hasao(4) and Lakhimpur(1) districts.

An ASDMA bulletin said that at least 2,02,385 people were affected and around 6,540 houses either partially and fully damaged in 811 villages under 24 districts.

Over 33,300 people took shelter in the 72 relief camps even as the district administrations have opened 27 relief distribution centres.

The worst affect districts include, Cachar, Dima Hasao, Hojai, Charaideo, Darrang, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Bajali, Baksa, Biswanath and Lakhimpur.

The situation in the hill section under Dima-Hasao district of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) remained grim as rain affected the Lumding-Badarpur single line railway route.

Minister for Environment and Forest, Fisheries and Excise, Parimal Suklabaidya on Tuesday visited flood hit Hojai district and directed the administration to intensify rescue and relief operations.

In view of the worsening flood situation in the district and as per direction of the Chief Minister, Minister Suklabaidya monitored the flood situation in three affected revenue circles of Hojai, Doboka and Lanka. Suklabaidya, who is the Guardian Minister of Hojai district, had a first hand account of the overall flood situation at a meeting with Deputy Commissioner, Anupam Choudhury, SP, Barun Purkayastha, Brigadier, 106 Brigade, JAT Regiment, N.Romeo Singh, MLA, Ramkrishna Ghosh and officials of Water Resources and other concerned departments.

Suklabaidya asked the administration to press more country boats into service to rescue marooned people. He said the government will provide all rescue and relief help to those affected.

Three breaches have occurred at Jamunaguri near Jamuna river under Binnakandi development block, 48 block embankment under the same block and Chanjurai embankment near Kopili river on May 16 affecting a population of 78,157 and over 4,611 hectare of cropped area of 62 villages. 50 relief camps and distribution centres have been opened by the administration. 29,827 persons are in the relief camps. 786 persons have been evacuated by SDRF personnel and local people. Three medical teams have been deployed by the administration.

Rice, dal, salt, mustard oil, milk, rice bran and tarpaulin have been distributed to the affected people.