Assam Floods: Death Toll Rises to 9, 6.6 Lakh People in 27 Districts Affected

Guwahati: As incessant rain continues to wreak havoc in Assam and other parts of the northeastern region, more than 6 lakh people spanning 27 districts in the state have been displaced and their livelihoods have been shattered.

According to a bulletin from the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), the death toll in the state rose to 9 on May 18, with one person getting drowned in the floodwaters in the Darrang district.

The bulletin went on to inform that the embankments were breached, roads and bridges were destroyed and school buildings were damaged in various districts across the state.

Meanwhile, Nagaon happens to be the district which has been affected the most with 2.88 lakh people getting affected as a result of the devastating floods which has ravaged the state.

Small landslides have continued to occur in the hill district of Dima Hasao as rail and road connectivity was snapped on May 16. Also, there has been a disruption in the connectivity to Assam's Barak Valley, which comprises the three districts of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi. 

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on May 18 said that efforts were underway to restore connectivity to southern Assam and he added that the government had air-dropped 4 metric tonnes of food in Dima Hasao.

The Assam CM went on to inform that the state government had decided to operate special flights between Silchar (in Cachar district) and Guwahati at a fixed price of Rs 3,000 per ticket, based on an agreement with regional carrier FlyBig Airline.

This decision was taken in the wake of the prices of air tickets skyrocketing to around Rs 30,000 a seat between the two cities, as a result of the current situation prevailing in the state.

Sarma added that the flights would give some reprieve to stranded passengers.

Also read: Flood affects 3 lakh people, destroys 9,742 hectares of crops in Nagaon

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