GUWAHATI, July 18 ? The flood situation worsened today with inundation of fresh areas in Dhemaji and Tinsukia districts following heavy rainfall in Arunachal Pradesh, while, according to official reports, the death toll in the current wave of floods has gone up to 63 with the drowning of one more person in Morigaon district. According to the flood bulletin issued by the State Government today, more than 20.87 lakh hectares of 26 districts of the State has been affected and more than 15 lakh flood-affected people are still taking shelter in 1589 relief camps.
AGP general secretary Dilip Kumar Saikia, who is a legislator from Dhemaji constituency, said that the situation in the district worsened today with gushing water of Siang river creating havoc. He said that the floodwaters of the river inundated most parts of Jonai sub-division of the district, while, the entire Pachighat town has been inundated. He said that embankments of the Brahmaputra were breached in Kareng and Pipaluguri. He also alleged that the Government totally failed to provide adequate relief material to the affected people.
Our Correspondents report:
Tinsukia- The Army has been called out to rescue the victims of the fresh wave of floods that hit the district today. The heavy downpour in the district and in the surrounding hill regions of Arunachal Pradesh over the last few days has created havoc with the continuous rise in the water level of the Brahmaputra and its tributaries. The gushing waters have submerged nearly 50 villages in Sadiya subdivision. The Chapakhowa-Tezu road has been closed due to damages in the culvert near Gumtibill. The waters of the Brahmaputra in the Hatighuli area marooned people in about 35 villages in Doomdooma revenue circle. In Tinsukia revenue circle, Guijan area is the worst affected with 15 villages and a number of tea gardens like Nemuguri, Rungagora, Dinjan, Naloni, Padumoni, etc, affected by the fresh floods. The Dibru-Saikhowa National Park, along with its two forest villages has been completely submerged under floodwaters. On the whole, floods in the district till filing of this report affect about 50,000 people in 110 villages. More areas are expected to go under water due to the continuous rise in the water level. Relief camps are being set up and relief materials are being rushed to them.
Dalgaon- With the recovery of the body of a seven-month-old calf rhino at the Bontapu forest in the Orang National Park yesterday, the death toll of animals in the Park has gone up to 231. The rising waters of the rivers Dhansiri and Pachnoi, besides the Brahmaputra, have submerged almost 90 percent of the total area of the park causing serious threat to the wild animals. Apart from the rhino calf, about 150 hog deer and 80 wild pigs have reportedly been drowned in the latest floods. However, strict vigilance by the Park staff has also helped in the rescue of 25 hog deer and 10 wild pigs. About 20 hectares of the Park area have been eroded while 15 camps and four buildings have been damaged. The Dhansiri River has caused major damage to the Dhansirighat-Silbori PWD road, the only road leading to the Park. Internal communication inside the Park has also been affected.
Sipajhar- The overall flood situation in Sipajhar and Patharighat revenue circle under Darrang district has started improving with the floodwaters starting to recede. About 2.14 lakh people under these two circles, covering more than 160 villages, have been badly affected by the floods. A number of people are still taking shelter in the relief camps. Road communication through major PWD roads like the Bordaulguli-Borachuba, Ghorabandha-Garukhuti, Dumini Chowki-Kurua, Bhutabari-Sonapur, etc is totally disrupted causing immense hardships to the people. Though the administration has distributed relief materials, victims in several areas allege that they have not got adequate quantity of it. The victims have also expressed serious concern over the attitude of their elected representatives. The floods have devastated the crops and water-borne diseases are starting to spread in some areas. The people have urged the administration to take preventive measures. Army doctors are providing medical relief in some areas.
Kokrajhar- Char Areas Development minister Wajed Ali Choudhury, who is in charge of relief and rehabilitation in Kokrajhar district, held a meeting with department heads at the Circuit House here today to review the flood situation in the state. He has instructed the officials to take necessary steps to provide relief to the flood affected people.
Sualkuchi- Erosion by the Brahmaputra has caused concern for the people of the silk village as it has already eroded vast areas comprising the land belonging to ten families, playgrounds and places of worship since the first week of the month. The problem has been aggravated since July 16 with the river eroding the boulder patching on the banks at Keotpara.