Flood Toll Rises To 75, Lower Assam Inundated

Flood Toll Rises To 75, Lower Assam Inundated

GUWAHATI: With six people losing lives in floods across the State on Wednesday, the death toll has risen to 75, including the two in landslides earlier. On the other hand, following heavy rains and the proposed release of excess water from the Kurishu River Dam in Bhutan from 3 am to 5 am on Thursday, the situation is tense in lower Assam. The districts affected are Barpeta, Kokrajhar, Nalbari, Bongaigaon and Chirang. An alert has been sounded, the Army kept on standby, and two additional NDRF companies have been rushed to Barpeta district. Meanwhile, road link of Dhubri with other parts of the State remained disrupted as both approach sides of a culvert at Ailengamari on NH-31 were washed away on Tuesday night by the gushing water of the Gauranga River under Bilasipara subdivision in Dhubri district.

During the last 24 hours, while one person died each in Nalbari, Barpeta, Dhubri, and Golaghat, three persons lost their lives in Morigaon, stated a release of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority.

Altogether 34,82,170 people are affected in 2,933 villages of 73 revenue circles across 20 districts viz. Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Udalguri, Darrang, Baksa, Barpeta, Nalbari, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara, Kamrup, Kamrup (M), Morigaon, Nagaon, Golaghat, Jorhat and Cachar.

At present, while 2,00,525 inmates are taking shelter in 826 relief camps operational in the districts of Baksa, Nalbari, Barpeta, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Goalpara, Kamrup, Morigaon, Nagaon, Golaghat and Jorhat districts, 107 relief distribution centres are functioning in the districts of Lakhimpur, Udalguri, Darrang, Barpeta, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, South Salmara, Kamrup, Morigaon, and Golaghat.

The rivers flowing above the danger level are the Brahmaputra at Neamatighat in Jorhat and Dhubri; the Jia Bharali at NT Road Crossing in Sonitpur; the Puthimari at NT Road Crossing in Kamrup; the Manas at NH Road Crossing in Barpeta); the Beki at Road Bridge in Barpeta; the Gauranga at Kokrajhar; and the Sonkosh at Golakganj in Dhubri.

Rescue operations are being carried out by personnel of the NDRF, SDRF, Civil administration, Army with help from local people at the affected areas.

Meanwhile, a release from NFR said that running of trains in the rain-affected portion under Alipurduar division has now become normal in view of the receipt of Track Fit Certificate at 5:30 pm. The long distance trains have started running normally over the affected portion with restricted speed. However, 11 intercity, passenger, express train were cancelled on July 25.

BSNL service too remained cut off causing a great deal of inconveniences to consumers, people alleged.

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