The Assam flood situation continued to remain grim on Wednesday as the death toll rose to 101 and water level continued to rise in Brahmaputra and Barak rivers, inundating fresh areas in the state, impacting over 55 lakh people across 32 districts, according to officials.
The newly reported 12 deaths included four in Hojai, three each in Barpeta and Nalbari, and two in Kamrup, said officials.
A total of 54,57,601 people have been affected by the floods in 32 of the 36 districts in the state, as per a bulletin of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).
The flood situation in the three districts of Barak Valley —Cachar, Karimganj, and Hailakandi— remained critical as the water levels of Barak and Kushiara rivers continued to rise, inundating vast tracts of land, officials said.
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Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma travelled to Nagaon by train to review the situation in flood-hit areas in the district, the officials said, adding that he was also scheduled to visit a few relief camps there.
Nagaon was severely affected by the current wave of floods with over 4,57,381 people coming under the impact of the deluge and 15,188 inmates have taken shelter in 147 relief camps.
"Undertook a train journey from Guwahati to flood-affected areas in Chaparmukh and Kampur. The journey enabled me to take a closer look at the areas ravaged by flood along the railway tracks, which will help us in taking informed decisions and intervene accordingly," Sarma said on Twitter.
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He added that as the floodwaters of Kopili have inundated large areas in Nagaon district, necessary steps will be taken to prevent the recurrence of such calamity in the future.
Sarma visited Chaparmukh railway station to interact with flood-affected people taking shelter there and took stock of relief materials provided to them.
"Assuring them all possible help, I asked district administration to ensure adequate relief to the affected people & be on stand-by," he said.
Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal visited a relief camp at Phulaguri Higher Secondary School in Kapili block in Nagaon district, and interacted with the affected people.
He said that a central team would visit the state soon, assess the damage, prepare a report and submit it to the government for support and assistance.
National Disaster Response Force personnel have been engaged in Cachar districts to evacuate people to safe places, while representatives of State Disaster Response Force and other agencies were deployed in the two remaining districts.
Altogether 2,16,851 people have been hit by the flood in 506 villages in Cachar district, 1,47,649 in Karimganj and nearly one lakh in Hailakandi.
Sarma is scheduled to visit Silchar to review the prevailing flood situation.
Transport Minister Parimal Suklabaidya has been camping at Silchar in Cachar and monitoring the flood situation in the Barak valley with the local MLAs, deputy commissioners and senior officials of the three districts.
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Meanwhile, Ambassador of Japan to India Satoshi Suzuki expressed sympathy to the families who lost their "beloved ones and are affected by the recent floods and landslides occurring in Assam and Meghalaya".
"Japan always stands with the people in such difficult times," Satoshi said on Twitter.
The CM thanked him for expressing his concern for the state and people affected by the current wave of floods.
"We sincerely acknowledge the support and cooperation of Japan and its beautiful people towards the development of our state," Sarma said on Twitter.
Oil India Ltd has contributed Rs 5 crore to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.
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Sarma thanked Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Rameswar Teli and the company’s chairman and managing director Sushil Kumar Mishra for the contribution and said this will "significantly aid our ongoing flood-relief work".
Among the worst-affected districts are Barpeta where 11,29,390 people are suffering, Kamrup where 7,89,496 people are affected and Dhubri where 5,97,153 people are hit by the devastation.
The devastating floods, caused by incessant rainfall, affected 112 revenue circles and 4,941 villages, while 2,71,125 people have taken shelter in 845 relief camp.
Relief materials were distributed from 825 delivery points among flood-hit people who have not taken shelters in the relief camps.
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According to the bulletin of the Central Water Commission (CWC), the Kopili river was flowing above the danger level at Kampur in Nagaon district, and the Brahmaputra at Nimatighat, Tezpur, Guwahati, Kamrup, Goalpara and Dhubri.
Water levels in several other rivers such as Puthimari, Pagladia, Beki Barak and Kushiara are also above the danger level.
A cultivated area of 108306.18 hectares and 36,60,173 animals have been affected in the state.
"Seven embankments were breached, while 316 roads and 20 bridges have been damaged," the bulletin said.
At least 26 of the total 233 camps have been inundated by the floodwater in Kaziranga National Park with 11 animals dying due to drowning.
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In Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary, 14 of the total 25 camps have been inundated though there are no reports of animal deaths.
Large-scale erosion of river banks was reported from Baksa, Biswanath, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Dhubri, Hailakandi, Lakhimpur, Morigaon, Nalbari, Sonitpur, South Salmara, Tamulpur, Tinsukia and Udalguri districts.
(With PTI inputs)
