Assam floods: Major rivers in spate, 10 more deaths take toll to 81

GUWAHATI: Assam’s flood situation turned critical after 10 more flood-related deaths were reported on Monday that has taken the toll to 81 on Monday even as the state government requisitioned IAF to airlift petrol, diesel and geo bags to Barak valley, which remains cut off from rest of the state due to flood and rampant landslides at multiple locations.
Seven other persons have been reported missing in the flood. According to Assam Disaster Management Authority, over five lakh more people were affected since Sunday which has pushed the number of total affected people to over 47 lakh. Over 23 lakh flood-hit people are currently taking shelter in 810 temporary relief camps.
Among the dead are the officer in-charge, Sammujal Kakoti and a constable Rajiv Bordoloi of Kampur police station in Nagaon district, who drowned after being washed away by flood waters on Sunday night while they were on way to rescue some marooned people. Two other accompanying policemen were rescued safely by SDRF.
The state also lost four animals of Kaziranga National on Monday. While one hog deer was drowned, two other hog deers and a leopard while trying to flee the flood to highlands across national highway were run over by speeding vehicles. The flood waters of Brahmaputra river have inundated about 18% of UNESCO World heritage site.
Union home minister Amit Shah called up Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma twice in the day to enquire about the flood situation and inform him that a central team will soon visit the state to assess the damage caused by the deluge.
Sarma later said, “Except Karbi Anglong, all the other districts are currently affected by flood and landslides. Surface communication between Brahmaputra valley and Barak valley has been completely snapped. The IAF will carry out its biggest transportation exercise here and will carry one lakh and eight thousand litre of petrol and diesel to Silchar and also geo bags.”
He added that rail communication between Silchar and Haflong, which was uprooted by massive landslides last month, is likely to resume from June 26 while train movement between Guwahati and Haflong is likely to be on tracks from July 12.
IMD reported that “Widespread rainfall accompanied with thunderstorms/lightning/ heavy to very heavy with extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places is very likely to continue over northeastern states during the next 48 hours and a decrease in rainfall intensity thereafter.”