GUWAHATI, July 11 ? The overall flood situation in the State remained grim with the number of affected people going up to more than 20.50 lakh. The death toll in the current wave of floods also increased to 13. The rail and road communication all over the State have been badly affected with floodwaters inundating national highways and railway lines. According to official reports, the current wave of floods have so far affected 2794 villages in 19 districts of the State and about four lakh houses have been damaged. The floods have also caused heavy damage to standing crops and as per reports available, more than four lakh hectares of cropland has been affected so far. Due to inundation of the railway tracks, trains are being run through the South bank of the Brahmaputra and the Fakiragram-Guwahati and New Bongaigaon-Guwahati passenger trains have been cancelled.
Assam Governor Ajai Singh and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today visited the flood-affected areas of Kamrup district to take stock of the situation. The Union Minister of State for Defence Bijoy Krishna Handique today met Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and requested him to send all possible assistance to the State Government to deal with the situation. It may be mentioned here that the situation in the Lower Assam district worsened, reportedly following a breach in the Krusu dam in Bhutan.
The water level of the Brahmaputra at Tezpur, Guwahati, Goalpara and Dhubri is above the danger level. Only in Nimatighat the water level was stated to be steady while in Dibrugarh it was falling (afternoon, 11th July)
Our correspondents add:
Dhemaji: The flood situation in Dhemaji district is still grave with over 400 villages under water, although the rivers have shown a receding trend. About 100 villages of Jonai subdivision are reeling under water. Kabu Chapori is the worst-affected area in the subdivision. In Dhemaji subdivision about 150 villages are under water as floodwater of the Brahmaputra came in through two open breaches at Kathalguri and Bhalukaguri. Floodwater has reached close to Dhemaji town at Bharalichuk point.
The floodwater of the Jiadhol river has also inundated several villages of Paschim Dhemaji. The NH-52 at Samarajan area has been threatened and the Border Roads Organisation is on the alert. Road communication has remained cut off with Jalakia Suti under water. Floods have also caused heavy damage to standing crops and livestock. The district administration has not at all showed the required urgency in distributing relief materials.
Majuli: With the Brahmaputra and the Subansiri in spate due to incessant rainfall in the catchment areas for the last several days, the flood situation in Majuli subdivision has turned grim today. The Matmora Dakhingat embankment which is the lifeline of this river island has been endangered at 5,300 point near Karhalgaon with the surging water rushing through a number of gaps under it. The local people and the Water Resource Dept are working hard to protect the embankment.
Duni: The unprecedented floods of the Nonoi river submerged some new places of Duni and Dipila areas today. The water levels of the Nonoi, Kalapani, and Dimila rivers have been rising again since last night. Most of the roads of the area including Duni-Patharighat and Dipila- Rajghat PWD roads are submerged under floodwaters. The Kalapani river has also washed away the Bherua footbridge.
Itakhola: Severe erosion by the Bordikorai has washed away 11 quarters and the office of the Rural Works Dept besides an inspection bungalow at Sijusa. Although the devastating flash flood of July 5 has subsided, heavy erosion is now threatening the entire area. Parts of the Pakisang-Saibari link road have also been washed away by erosion, causing communication disruption. The sluice gate could not be cleared till today despite the district administration having engaged 200 labourers every day for the past few days.
Kohora: A large extent of the Kaziranga National Park is currently under the floodwater of the Brahmaputra. Many wild animals of the Park have taken refuge on elevated tracks of nearby hills Karbi Anglong hills. Authorities are concerned that the animals are in a perilous situation. Sec 144 has been promulgated on the NH-37 to ensure safety of the animals traversing the road while fleeing from the floodwater.
Silchar: The flood situation in the three Barak valley districts remains grim with the water level of the rivers Barak, Katakhal and Dhaleswari flowing above the danger level. More than two lakh people of the valley have been affected and rail and road communication to the valley remain cut off. Three persons were reportedly buried in landslide at Sonapur yesterday.
Barpeta Road: The flood situation in the entire Barpeta district remained unchanged today with more places coming under water. The water level of the rivers Manas, Beki, and Palla are flowing above the danger mark. According to the district administration 50,000 people from about 26 villages have been recently affected and sixteen relief camps have been set up. Meanwhile two children were reported to have been washed away by the Beki last night at Nisuka under Sarbhog circle. Rail communication has also been suspended this morning following inundation of tracks near Barpeta Road. A red alert has been declared at the Manas national park, which has remained totally cut off from the rest of the district.
Bijni: For the fourth consecutive day, the flood situation in Bijni subdivision has remained unchanged. About 1.5 lakh people of about 200 villages under Bijni revenue circle have been affected. Erosion by the Pakhajani river near a railway bridge has forced the cancellation of rail traffic. The local administration is involved in distributing relief to the affected people.
Rangiya: The flood situation of Rangiya subdivision has been further aggravated due to a breach of a bund in Bhutan and new areas have been inundated. Rangiya town was reeling under flood for the fourth day causing serious concerns among the residents. Altogether 148 villages under Rangiya, Goreswar and Kamalpur revenue circles were submerged and about two lakh people have been rendered homeless. rmy personnel are engaged in rescue operations and several boats are being used to shift marooned people to safer places. All major roads and train communications to and from Rangiya have been snapped. The civil administration till now has distributed 1,433.34 qtls of rice, 287.34 qtls of dal, 50 qtls of salt, 58 bags of chira, 50 bags of fodder and 170 tarpulins to the flood victims as relief. One Jyotishman Sharma of Haripur village, a highschool student was washed away at Dalma Gate on July 10.
Goreswar: The region around Goreswar continues to reel under water with the Baihata Chariali-Shukla-Goreswar PWD road submerged by floodwater in several sections. Train communication also remains suspended.
Sipajhar: The floodwater of the Nonoi and Saktola rivers has affected the people of more than 71 villages under Sipajhar and Pathorighat revenue circles. Road communication in the region has been disrupted after floodwater submerged all major roads. District administration sources revealed that the number of population affected stands at about 72, 000 and about 153,755 bighas of land have been affected by floodwater.
Badarpur: Train services in the Lumding-Badarpur hill section have been disrupted due to landslides caused by torrential rains since July 9. Railway sources said that the 85-km stretch between Fiding and Mahur, 115 km between Bagetar and Jatinga, 132 km between Mailongdisa-Harangazao, and Bandarkhal areas have been affected. Talking to this Correspondent, the railway area manager of Badarpur said that the passenger train services between Lumding and Badarpur hill sections had been suspended for 48 hours. Meanwhile, road communication have also been suspended due to heavy landslide at Sonapur following incessant rains. Meanwhile, the overall flood situation in the Barak Valley turned grave with the three districts of the valley ? Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi ? experiencing rising water levels. According to the Flood Control Dept, the waters of Barak and Kushiara rivers are flowing above the danger mark.