Flood situation in Assam is improving, says ASDMA

By- Rokibuz Zaman

GUWAHATI: Assam floods claimed three more lives on Wednesday, taking the overall toll to 107, while 16.54 lakh people in 21 districts continue to reel under floodwaters. Another 26 people have been killed in landslides since May 22.

An official of Assam State Disaster Management Authority, however, said the flood situation has improved overnight despite the deaths, with the number of affected people coming down to 16.54 lakh from 19.18 lakh a day earlier.

The deaths were reported from hit Barpeta, Kokrajhar and Kamrup districts.

According to ASDMA’s bulletin, over 1500 villages are still inundated and over 37,000 people are staying in 208 government-run relief camps. This number was 43,000 on Tuesday.

Nearly 1 lakh hectare of crop-area continues to be inundated, said the bulletin added.

However, the Brahmaputra is still flowing above the danger level at Neematighat in Jorhat, Tezpur and Dhubri. The Kopili, Jia Bharali and the Dhansiri are flowing above the danger mark as well.

The flood situation in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve has also improved a bit. Currently, 65% of the park’s area is under water. However, one more one-horned rhino, which faced extinction at the turn of the century, died, taking the toll to 15 this year.

Meanwhile, chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal visited the erosion and flood-hit areas of Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts to take stock of the measures taken by the government and directed the concerned departments to take appropriate steps for reducing the menace of erosion.

He also visited the under-construction embankment site along the Kumotia river and directed the implementing agency to expeditiously complete the construction process.