Assam Floods: First casualty in Nagaon as death toll climbs to 6

Guwahati: Another flood-related casualty, the first in Central Assam's Nagaon Assam, was reported from in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of deaths in the current spate to 6. Earlier, 5 more persons, 4 from Goalpara and 1 from Hojai, had lost their lives due to the Assam floods.

According to the daily report filed by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), a total of 348 villages across 6 districts -- Nalbari, Goalpara, Nagaon, Hojai, West Karbi Anglong, and Tinsukia -- have been inundated in the flood waters. Additionally, crops across 26,977 hectares of farm lands have been submerged under flood waters.

As a result of the floods, 17,770 people have been driven to take shelter in 195 relief camps which have been opened up across the districts of Goalpara, Tinsukia, West Karbi Anglong, and Hojai.

Rescue operations have already been kickstarted in the affected areas and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel launched 8 boats in a bid to rescue marooned citizens. Meanwhile, embankments have been damaged in Kamrup district, and erosion has been reported from Biswanath, Sonitpur, Dibrugarh, and Majuli districts.

It may be mentioned here that Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal reached flood-hit Nalbari district's Mukalmua to take stock of the heavy erosion that has been reported in the area, where he directed officials to complete repair and maintenance works at the earliest. In Daulasal Larkusi, the Chief Minister took stock of the erosion that has caused panic among the residents who live by the river Brahmaputra in those parts. Sonowal, talking to mediapersons, stated that the state of Assam is facing four-pronged challenges in the form of coronavirus, floods, African Swine Fever, and thunderstorms.

Sonowal informed that even though the work to boost infrastructure to deal with flood challenges has been delayed amid the lockdown, the process will be expedited henceforth. He also mentioned that the embankments are being repaired under the supervision of the local panchayat bodies.

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