Assam flood situation turns grim with fresh rains; toll 62 for this year

The flood situation in Assam remained extremely critical on Sunday with many new localities coming under the impact of the deluge in several districts of the state and overnight incessant rain inundating more areas in Guwahati, officials said.

According to the latest updates by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), the state was witnessing floods and landslides for the last six days, leaving behind a huge trail of destruction everywhere.

In the last 24 hours, 32 districts, comprising 118 revenue circles and 4,291 villages, have reported flooding, it said.

Around 31 lakh people have been impacted, and 1.56 lakh of them have taken shelter in 514 relief camps across the state.

Relief materials were also distributed among people who are affected by the floods and have not taken shelter in relief camps, the ASDA said.

At least 302 relief distribution centres or points opened temporarily, it said.

National Disaster Response Force has been helping the district administrations evacuate people from the flood-hit areas.

The state disaster response force, fire and emergency services personnel, policemen and ASDMA volunteers have also been deployed for rescue operations.

"So far, 20,983 people have been evacuated by the various agencies," the bulletin said.

Incessant rain since Saturday night wreaked havoc in Guwahati, leading to knee-deep water logging in many areas across the city, while water has touched the chest level at some places. Guwahati Municipal Corporation Commissioner Devashish Sharma told reporters that sluice gates on the Bharalu river have been shut.

"Due to heavy rain in Upper Assam and flowing of excess water through the Brahmaputra, the water level of the river in Guwahati has risen considerably. Its level is now above that of its tributary Bharalu," he said.

To stop backflow of Brahmaputra water into the city, the administration has closed all the sluice gates on the Bharalu, the lifeline of Guwahati city.

"This led to flooding of new areas in the city. During the last few days, we were able to pump out floodwaters to Bharalu, but today we are not able to do so," Sharma said.

Flooding was reported from Zoo road, RG Baruah road, Nabin Nagar, Anil Nagar, Hatigaon, Lachit Nagar, Tarun Nagar, Jyotikuchi, Ghoramara, VIP road, Chandmari and many other areas.

According to the daily flood report of the ASDMA, eight people lost their lives in various places due to the floodwaters.

The death toll in this year's flood and landslides across the state has gone up to 62, it said.

Meanwhile, fresh landslides were reported from Cachar, Dima Hasao, Goalpara, Hailakandi, Kamrup Metropolitan, Karimganj and South Salmara districts.

During the last 24 hours, the state recorded an average rainfall of 37.2 mm.

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As per the Central Water Commission bulletin, the mighty Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger marks at Neamatighat in Jorhat, Tezpur in Sonitpur, Goalpara and Dhubri towns.

Its tributaries Kopili at Kampur and Dharamtul in Nagaon district, Subansiri at Badatighat in Lakhimpur, Puthimari at NH Road Crossing in Kamrup, Pagladia at NT Road Crossing in Nalbari, Manas at NH Road Crossing in Barpeta and Beki at Road Bridge in Barpeta are flowing above danger levels.

The Barak river at BP Ghat in Karimganj, AP Ghat in Cachar and Matizuri in Hailakandi, and its tributary Kushiyara at Karimganj town are flowing above the danger levels.