GUWAHATI, July 21 ? The flood situation in Assam turned worse today with the entire State virtually becoming a cluster of islands and the death toll in the current wave of floods shooting up to 97. The Brahmaputra breached the ring bundh on its embankment at Futuri-Semina under Palasbari revenue circle at 3.30 pm today, which has threatened the entire Palasbari, Chaygaon areas, Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport and the National Highway-37. Floodwaters of the river have already entered the adjacent areas of the breach. The Brahmaputra has also threatened Guwahati city with the river overtopping its bank at Fancy Bazar and forcing Bharalu to overtop its banks at Bharalumukh. The river is flowing at 51.46 metres at Kacharighat, which is nine centimetres above the all time high flood level recorded in 1988.
Army has been alerted and senior BDOs have been asked to activate the block level disaster management committees for rescue and relief operations in Palasbari and Chaygaon areas.
Meanwhile, a PWD assessment revealed that 132 kilometres of State highways, 450 kilometres of major district roads, 2423 kilometres of rural roads and 574 kilometres of National Highway have been damaged by the flood till date. The estimated cost for repair and restoration of these roads has come to Rs 470.56 crore. An official statement from North Salmara said that the flood situation in the sub-division remained grim with the water level of the Brahmaputra and Rivers Aie and Manas rising alarmingly. So far about 2.1 lakh people in 246 villages have been affected by the floods and over 483 hectares of area submerged. Ten villages have been partially washed away. So far four people have died here and 75 relief camps have been opened sheltering almost 79,000 people.
Meanwhile, rail communication between Guwahati and Lumding has been disrupted due to floods at several places. Long distance trains going towards Tinsukia and Dibrugarh have been terminated at Guwahati due to high flood between Chaparmukh and Hojai, NFR sources stated. Trains running in the entire metre gauge section have been cancelled due to floods. Landslides between Lumding and Badarpur and New Jalpaiguri and Kurseong triggered by incessant rainfall have brought train communication to a complete halt..
Our Correspondents add:
Dhemaji - The flood situation in the district remained grim though the water level has receded considerably. Low-lying areas and hundreds of villages are still under water. According to district administration sources, 50 relief camps have been set up where 17,082 people have been given shelter. About 2.67 lakh people of 625 villages are affected while almost 31,000 hectares of cropland were destroyed. The overall situation remained worse as relief materials have not reached the needy people. Besides, there is acute shortage of drinking water, fodder and shelter. The district administration is at a loss at the sudden worsening of the situation for which it took time to begin rescue operations. Floods have destroyed all the existing roads in the district.
Dhekiajuli - From this morning, vehicles proceeding towards Guwahati through National Highway 52 have been stopped at Orang, nine kilometres from here, due to the flood situation at Mangaldoi and Sipajhar. Villagers are taking shelter on NH 52 while NH 37 remains cut off. For the last two days, buses bound for upper Assam have been using NH 52. Buses from here to Guwahati returned from Orang this morning while Guwahati publications have not reached here.
Halem - Commissioner of Upper Assam Division Chandra Kanta Sarma visited the flood-affected areas of Gohpur sub-division yesterday and disclosed during a press conference that altogether 132 families have lost their homesteads and 86,105 people badly affected. A thousand bags of fodder and food for a week have been distributed to affected people through 45 distribution centres.
Sipajhar - The flood situation here has turned grim with the southern part of Sipajhar revenue circle being completely inundated. Communication links have been completely cut off while power supply has also been stopped. The situation has become critical following the breach of the Rangamati-Khurua embankment at Kacharijhar. The government agencies have utterly failed in launching rescue and relief operations.
Mangaldoi - Even as the flood waters in the Mangaldoi River have receded by a few inches by 5.30 pm today, the flood situation here remained unchanged. The rivers Nanoi, Noanoi, Saktola and Digaj are flowing upstream. Traffic has been disallowed on the Guwahati-Mangaldoi route today after it was resumed on July 19. Fresh waters have inundated portions of Mangaldoi Girls? College and Mangaldoi College forcing the postponement of classes. The main bazaar here is also submerged. According to the district administration, more than 5.5 lakh bigha land and 4.7 lakh people in 372 villages are affected. The authorities have opened 187 relief camps and shelters.
Mariani - As the flood situation in the district continues to be grim with the Brahmaputra and its tributaries creating havoc following unabated rainfall, relief camps are multiplying with more and more people retiring to safer sites. The floods have affected lakhs of people and inundated thousands of hectares of land rendering numerous families homeless. More than 14 relief camps have been established in the Jajimukh area of Teok sheltering more than 30,000 people.
Bokakhat - The second wave of floods has worsened the condition of 59 revenue villages affecting 17,906 people.
Nagaon - The district administration airdropped foodstuff at Raha, Kampur, Jamunamukh and Amsoi today to help the marooned people. Surface communication between Guwahati and here remained snapped for the second day today. However, water is receding at Hatimura while at Kampur and Raha the water level of the Kopili is stable. More and more suburban areas of Nagaon town were submerged today.
Sualkuchi - The third wave of the Brahmaputra have inundated large areas including Keotpara, Kaibarbapara, Adadboi, Kalitapara and Napara. Road link with Sualkuchi has been snapped while several houses have been submerged. Erosion is also continuing with even concrete walls being washed away.
Rangia - The situation in Rangiya sub-division continues to remain grim even after 12 days as the surging waters of the Puthimari embankment breach continues to flow in. Large areas have gone under water and banks, educational institutions and offices are closed since Monday. Rangiya town is also affected.
Gauripur - The gushing waters of River Gadadhar has crossed NH 31 at Gauripur and submerged almost all the wards of Gauripur town today. A number people are still taking shelter in relief camps. The river Gadadhar has also posed a threat to the embankment at Kumarganj leading to panic among the people in the area.