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Brahmaputra rises above danger mark, over 1.94 lakh people affected in Assam flood

Last Updated 26 May 2020, 15:32 IST

Flood situation in Assam worsened on Tuesday (May 26) with over 1.94 lakh people already affected in seven districts while the Brahmaputra and Jia Bharali rivers flowed above danger levels at two places.

The situation may turn grim as the Central Water Commission issued a serious flood warning for Assam and neighbouring Meghalaya. Many parts of the two states have been witnessing heavy rains since Friday (May 22).

The flood bulletin issued by Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) on Tuesday evening said that 8,971 people have already been rendered homeless in Goalpara and Tinsukia districts and are taking shelter in 35 relief camps. The number of affected people has increased by over 1.60 lakh--from 30,000 on Monday (May 25) to 1, 94, 916 on Tuesday.

A total of 229 villages have been inundated so far in Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Darrang, Nalbari, Goalpara, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts, said the bulletin.

More than 1.68 lakh people have been affected alone in the Goalpara district that shares borders with Garo Hills in Meghalaya. Heavy rains in Garo Hills inundated large areas under Balijana and Lakhipur block in Goalpara.

Citing a report of Central Water Commission, the ASDMA bulletin said the Brahmaputra was flowing above the danger level at Nematighat in Jorhat in eastern Assam and the Jia Bharali in North Assam's Sonitpur district.

No human casualty has been reported so far but 11,104 animals have been affected by the first wave of flood that hit the state on Friday, it said.

The personnel of the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force have already been pressed into service.

The flood is a serious problem almost every Monsoon in Assam but the deluge amid the coronavirus pandemic has posed an added challenge to the administration. The state has reported 597 COVID-19 positive cases from all 33 districts. A total of 49 new cases were detected on Tuesday. Four people have died so far while 62 persons have been discharged after recovery.

Worried over the threat of COVID-19, the ASDMA has already prepared special safety guidelines to prevent the spread of coronavirus in flood relief camps.

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(Published 26 May 2020, 15:09 IST)

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