Kamrup: A woman with her children rows a makeshift raft across flood waters in the Kamrup district of Assam on Friday. (PTI file Photo)
The overall flood scenario in Assam improved significantly on Tuesday with the Brahmapautra water-level going below the danger mark across the state except in Dhubri, but with four more deaths reported during the day, the death toll in the current floods has risen to 69. The Brahmaputra water level was below – slightly though – from Dibrugarh in the east to Goalpara in the west, with the State Disaster Management Authority saying it was flowing above the danger mark only in Dhburi district in the extreme west. The Barak, Dhansiri and Kushiyara were other rivers which were still flowing above the red mark on Tuesday.
Three fresh deaths were reported from Dhubri district where over 72,000 people were still reeling under the floods, while another death was reported from Dhemaji district in the extreme east. Most people lodged in relief camps opened by the government have moved to their respective homes, with Tuesday’s official flood report putting the number of relief camp inmates at 17,000.
The floods which affected over 19 lakh people in 29 districts, has left behind a trail of destruction, which included damage to over two lakh hectare crop area, thousands of houses, numerous bridges, roads, government buildings, apart from huge loss of poultry, cattle and other farm animals. Shortage of drinking water on the other hand has emerged as a major issue with the floods damaging ponds, wells, handpumps and numerous rural water supply schemes.
