1 killed in Assam floods, over 2.7 lakh people affected

Guwahati: Refusing to abate, torrential rains continued to lash several parts of Assam, leaving 2,71,655 people affected by floods and 16,720 people having to take shelter in 57 relief camps as on Wednesday. Significantly, 1 person from Goalpara's Rongjuli has been killed in the Assam floods, becoming the first casualty in the first spate.

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ADSMA) bulletin on Tuesday said that 11 districts -- Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Nagaon, Darrang, Barpeta, Nalbari, Goalpara, West Karbi Anglong, Dibrugarh, and Tinsukia -- are reeling under floods. So far, the highest number of 2,15,476 people have been affected in Goalpara district, followed by 22,332 persons in Nalbari.

Meanwhile, 2,678 hectares of crop lands across the districts of Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Nagaon, Hojai, Nalbari, Goalpara, and Dibrugarh, have been affected due to the floods. 

Erosion has been reported in Manuli, Sonitpur, Tinsukia, Chirang, Baksa, Biswanath, and South Salmara districts, while landslide has been reported from Dima Hasao district. In the landslides, reported from 4 villages, 72 people have been affected an d 18 houses fully destroyed. At the same time, embankments have been destroyed in Golaghat, Barpeta, and Nalbari districts.

The India Mateorological Department on Tuesday also warned of extremely heavy rainfall in Assam, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh.

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has directed all Deputy Commissioners to set up separate cells to carry out relief and rescue operations expeditiously during flood. He recently observed that the district administrations have already geared up with all preparations to deal with flood and said that they have been directed to provide all possible support to the people affected by flood.

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