Flood situation worsens, hits over 12.47 lakh people in 18 districts of Assam

 Flood waters submerged new areas in the state while Brahmaputra and several of its tributaries flowing over danger level mark following torrential rains in the state.

Flood waters submerged 99,416.44 hectare of agricultural land in Lakhimpur, Golaghat, Bongaigaon, Jorhat, Dhemaji, Sivsagar, Barpeta, Kokrajhar, Nagaon, Dibrugarh, Chirang, Goalpara, Tinsukia, Dhubri, Morigaon, Darrang, Sonitpur and Biswanath district.

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said that over 12.47 lakh people of 18 districts are affected in the fresh flood.

On the other hand,  flood situation in Jorhat, Dhemaji, Golaghat, Lakimpur, Dhubri, Bongaigaon, Biswanath district remained unchanged as more areas were inundated by flood waters.

“A total of 1,75,857 people are affected alone in Dhemaji district, while 1,33,823 people in Jorhat, 1,12,421 people in Golaghat, 1,35,590 people in Barpeta, 1,69,950 people in Dhubri district are affected,” an official of ASDMA said.

The district administration has set up 220 relief camps and 130 relief distribution centers in the flood affected districts where over 89,000 people have taken shelter.

On the other hand, flood waters submerged more areas in Kaziranga National Park, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, Burhasapori Wildlife Sanctuary.

In view of the prevailing flood which has affected around 12.47 lakh people of the state, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal held a video conference with the deputy commissioners (DCs) of 16 districts and had a first-hand discussion and took stock of the measures taken by them to deal with current wave of flood.

Attending the video conference in the conference room of his office in Assam Secretariat on Monday, Sonowal asked the deputy commissioners to take all measures to provide pure drinking water and essential medicines as these items are important to prevent outbreak of communicable diseases.

Sonowal also asked DCs to maintain a constant touch with the MLAs of their respective districts and work in coordination with them to reach out to the affected people, rescue them and help them with relief materials.

The Assam CM also asked the DCs to press the doctors into service and take care of the health and hygiene of the camp inmates. Chief Minister also asked the DCs to take special care to the babies and provide all sorts of paediatric care and baby foods.

As the current wave of flood affected vast areas of crop land, Sonowal also asked the DCs to take necessary steps to provide kothia (rice seedlings) to farmers.

The surging water level of Brahmaputra, Subansiri, Burhidehing, Sankosh, Beki, Pagladia, Jia Bharali, Dhansiri, Aie affected 15 districts including 42 revenue circles, Chief Minister Sonowal asked the DCs to work on a special devise to help the affected people with humane touch.

Taking note on the plight of the flood affected people; Sonowal mooted the idea of building community centres in the flood affected places so that people can take shelter during the recurring floods in the state.

Sonowal also asked the DCs to provide adequate fodder stock and take measures for the protection of animals including the wild animals in Kaziranga National Park and other wild life sanctuaries.

The Assam CM also asked the appropriate authority to issue ‘time card’ to all vehicles passing through the Kaziranga National Park in a bid to save the stray animals from road accidents.
   
Water Resources Minister Keshab Mahanta, Minister of State, Labour and Employment Pallab Lochan Das, Chief Secretary VK Pipersenia, Additional Chief Secretary RT Jindal, Home Commissioner LS Changsan, Commissioner and Secretary to the Chief Minister Sanjay Lohia along with other senior officers were present at the meeting.
On the other hand the Indian Army has swung itself fully into the task of Flood Relief and Rescue in the effected Areas of Lower Assam.

The Indian Army received distress calls from the populace of Chirang and Bongaigaon in the late afternoon asking for succor from floods. The Army swung into action despite heavy rains and swift currents.

Reacting swiftly to provide humanitarian assistance,  the Army launched one column in Chirang and two columns in Bongaigaon with boats.

The Army persons waded through rushing currents and their boats plowed through in a bid to rescue marooned people.  200 people were saved in Chirang District while in Bongaigaon 150 people were saved from drowning.

The Army even conducted a medical camp in Kokrajhar helping 100 patients.

It is pertinent to mention that based on earlier experience and lessons learnt in the recently concluded Exercise Jalrahat, the Army has pre placed the flood relief equipment at designated places for their swift employment on need basis in the shortest possible time frame, providing succor to the people suffering due to the fury of floods .

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)