Assam: Flood-like situation persists in several areas; Agriculture Minister takes stock of conditions in Golaghat

Assam Agriculture Minister Atul Bora took stock of the flood situation in the Bokakhat area of Golaghat district in the state on Monday.

Assam Agriculture Minister Atul Bora took stock of the flood situation in the Bokakhat area of Golaghat district in the state on Monday. The flood-like situation in Assam's Biswanth Sub-Division continued to be grim as over 8,000 more people have been affected due to the overflowing Brahmaputra River. Some more areas have been inundated and the number of flood-affected people has crossed more than 40,000 in the Biswanth Sub-Division.

As per the information by ASDMA, 22,417 people have been affected in the Gohpur revenue circle areas and nearly 10,000 people affected in the Halem revenue circle areas. As many as 47 villages under Biswanath Sub-Division were submerged while 858 hectares of crop area have been inundated.

Moreover, all major rivers in Assam are now flowing above the danger mark. The Brahmaputra at Dhubri and Tezpur, while the Beki, Buridihing, and Sankosh rivers are flowing above the danger mark at Golakganj. A local in the Gohpur area in the Sonitpur district said the water level has risen to 3 feet inside his house. "We are now facing a lot of problems. Now we can't live in our house. The water level is still increasing. We are hoping that the government will help us," he said.

The ASDMA flood report stated that 1.08 lakh people of 385 villages under 31 revenue circles in 15 districts and two Sub-Divisions were affected by the floods in the state. The flood waters inundated 4168.40 hectares of crop area, it said.

According to the ASDMA, so far 7 people have lost their lives due to flood in the state. In the last 24 hours, the flood waters damaged three embankments, 42 roads, culverts, irrigation canals, Anganwadi centres, and school buildings in several flood-hit districts.

The administration has set up 22 relief camps and 71 relief distribution centres in the flood-hit districts where 4,275 people are now taking shelter, as per officials. The officials said that an estimated 19,379 people have been affected in Golaghat district while 13,000 people were affected in Dhemaji district, 12,000 people in Majuli district, 12,855 people in Dibrugarh, 6218 people in Chirang district, 3336 people in Dhubri district, 3135 people in Sivasagar district. More than 72,300 domestic animals and poultry have also been affected by the deluge.

Teams of SDRF, NDRF, Fire and Emergency Services, and local administration are engaged in rescue operations in the flood-hit areas. Earlier, Chirang and Bongaigaon districts in Assam were flooded after an increase in the water level of the Brahmaputra river due to incessant rainfall across the state.

After neighbouring Bhutan started releasing excess water from its Kurichu dam on Friday, downstream areas of Assam have been put on alert for possible flooding. Seventeen districts of Assam are now being affected by floods impacting nearly 67,000 people, said officials.

One of the worst affected districts in Assam is Biswanath district where over 32,400 people have been affected so far, according to Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA). ASDMA said that 22,417 people have been affected in Gohpur revenue circle areas and nearly 10,000 people affected in Halem revenue circle areas.

As per officials, 47 villages under Biswanath Sub-Division were submerged while 858 hectares of crop area have been inundated. Earlier on Sunday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took a jibe at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the Delhi floods and said he does not blame other states and rather focuses on resolving the issue.

"Blaming other state government is not going to solve the problem. It is your problem and you have to resolve it by yourself," Assam CM said. Assam CM Sarma said that Assam also witnesses floods because of the water from Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan but his government has "set a scientific response" instead of blaming their governments.

"I am seeing many statements that the water is coming from Haryana and UP, we also receive water from Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan but we do not blame them for the water as we believe that this is a natural phenomenon and we have to find a scientific solution for it," he added. (ANI)

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