Northeast floods and landslides: Death toll rises to 10 in Assam; IAF rescues 14 marooned in Arunachal Pradesh

A flood bulletin issued by Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) on Sunday said one person died in Lakhimpur, while two others died in Golaghat in eastern Assam. This took the death toll in Assam due to flood and landslides to 11.

Guwahati: At least two more persons died in Assam due to flood in the past 24-hours, while 14 marooned persons were rescued by an IAF helicopter from Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday morning.

A flood bulletin issued by Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) on Sunday evening said two persons died in Sribhumi and Cachar districts in South Assam. This took the death toll due to flood and landslides since Friday in Assam to 10 and that across the Northeast to 31.

The bulletin said over 3.64 lakh people remained affected in 19 districts (out of 35) due to floods in Assam on Sunday. More than 10,000 people were provided shelters in relief camps. Cachar, Dibrugarh and Karbi Anglong districts remained worst affected. The Brahmaputra, Barak river and some tributaries were flowing above danger level in some places, it said.

At least three trains were cancelled by the Northeast Frontier Railway in South Assam due to the rains.

Shah dials CMs

Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Chief Ministers of Assam, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh and Governor of Manipur on Sunday and took stock of the disaster that hit most parts of the Northeast on Friday. Shah assured all help to the states.

A Mi17 helicopter of the IAF rescued at least 14 people marooned in floodwaters in Lower Dibang Valley district of neighboruing Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday morning. They remained stuck due to overflowing waters of the Bomjir river following heavy rains.

An official in Mizoram told DH on Sunday that three persons who remained trapped due to collapse of six houses in Lawngtlai district, were safely rescued. A portion of the NH-2 in Lawngtali district remained shut due to the debris, he said.

Tripura CM Manik Saha said 24 relief camps have been opened for those rendered homeless due to flood and heavy rains since Friday.

Heavy rains since Thursday due to deep depression in neighbouring Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal, wrecked havoc across the Northeast. More than 30 people died due to landslides and floods across the region.

Death toll in flood/landslides:

• Assam: 10

• Arunachal Pradesh: 9

• Meghalaya: 6

• Mizoram: 2

• Tripura: 1

• Nagaland: 1