The flood situation in Assam has further worsened, with six more people losing their lives, taking the death toll in flood, landslide and storm-related incidents to 62, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said.
Triggered by incessant rainfall, the floods have affected over 21 lakh people across 29 districts as the water level in the major rivers crossed over the danger mark, an official bulletin said.
The report said that a total of 21,13,204 people have been affected across 29 districts, with 57,018 hectares of cropland swamped. Of these, the worst hit districts are Dhubri, Darrang, Cachar, Barpeta and Golaghat.
ASSAM FLOODS | LATEST UPDATES
CM Himanta Assess Damages In Dibrugarh
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday assessed the flood-related damages in the worst-hit district of Dibrugarh. He interacted with those affected and reassured them of relief efforts and medical assistance.
The town is facing the problem of urban flooding due to clogged drains and with the level of River Brahmaputra flowing above the danger level, there are difficulties in draining out the water, he said.
The affected people also urged Sarma to restore the power supply. He told them that the supply had been switched off to prevent electrocution.
However, Sarma directed the district commissioner to restore the supply by making public announcements so that people would be careful and remain indoors at the time.
"We will be engaging experts and the residents to find a community-driven solution to the problem of inundation in Dibrugarh town," the CM said.
He also said that embankments will be repaired initially with the help of geo-bags but there is also a proposal to build a strong embankment on River Burhi Dihing with funds from the Asian Development Bank.
In his further directions, Sarma said, "The ongoing flood has displaced many people who are now sheltered in relief camps and during the visit to a camp in Tengakhat, I instructed that a sick person should be immediately shifted to Assam Medical College Hospital while fresh clothes should be provided to the people taking shelter there."
Death Toll Rises, Relief Camps In Place
As many as six persons lost their lives to flood-related incidents, taking the total death toll in this year's incidents to 62. Over 21 lakh people have been affected across 29 districts in the state.
The official bulletin said that at present, over 39,000 people are taking refuge in 698 relief camps, while relief materials have been distributed to over 7.2 lakh non-camp residents.
Notably, over 1,000 people and 635 animals have been evacuated by various rescue agencies using boats.
Alert Issued For Brahmaputra
An alert has been issued for Kamrup (Metro) district, where the Brahmaputra, Digaru, and Kollang rivers are overflowing, surging past the danger mark. The river has submerged majority of the land areas.
The Brahmaputra River and its tributaries are flowing above danger levels at multiple locations, while the Barak River and its tributaries also spoke a significant risk.
"The incessant rain has caused the Brahmaputra to rise above danger levels. This has forced the closure of the Bharalu Sluice Gate, adversely impacting the outflow of water from several major storm drains in Guwahati city via Bharalu River into Brahmaputra River," Urban Affairs Minister Ashok Singhal posted on X.
Waterlogging In Guwahati, Child Missing
Several parts of Assam's largest city Guwahati reported massive waterlogging as rain continued to batter the state, with the Brahmaputra rising above danger level.
Meanwhile, a child went missing from the Jyoti Nagar area since Thursday evening after he reportedly fell into an open drain. Locals said that the child was riding on a scooter with his father when he slipped and fell into the stormwater drain.
A search operation was immediately launched with the help of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and administration personnel.
"Search for the child is on. An excavator has also been pressed into action, but there has been no success so far," an official said.
Toll Free Number Issued, Pumps Deployed
City officials in Guwahati launched an emergency toll-free number for citizens. The Kamrup Metropolitan administration also issued helpline numbers for the people to reach out in case of emergencies.
"In the greater interest of safety and security of the public in general Citizens of Guwahati experiencing issues due to urban flooding can contact the District Emergency Operations Centre (DEOC) of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Kamrup (Metro) for any kind of assistance," it said in a statement.
Citizens have been asked to contact toll-free number (0361-1077) or mobile phone number (9365429314).
On the other hand, to tackle the overflowing water and flooded streets, pumps have also been deployed to clear the water from the city.
Urban Affairs Minister Ashok Singhal said that the water levels of Brahmaputra and at the Bharalu Sluice Gate were dangerously high.
"Due to this, instances of water-logging have been reported from various parts of the city. To mitigate this issue, we have deployed 6 pumps at the Bharalumukh Sluice Gate which are all working at full capacity to drain the accumulated water," he added.
Woman Gives Birth On Medical Team's Boat
A woman, while being ferried to the nearest health centre on a boat in Assam, gave birth to a baby girl.
The woman -- Jahanara Begum -- was in full term pregnancy when she was being taken to Jhargaon PHC in Morigaon district on a boat by a medical team led by assistant block project manager of Sandahkaity rural PHC on Wednesday, when she went into labour and gave birth to a girl amid raging floods.
"The woman was being ferried to the nearest PHC by a health team which was visiting affected areas and marooned people in need of medical help. Both the mother and the child are in good health," Paban Kumar Patol, doctor in-charge of Jhargaon PHC told news agency PTI.
Notably, as per the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), as many as 170 medical teams have been deployed across the state to deal with the situation.
77 Wild Animals Dead, 94 Rescued In KNP
As many as 77 wild animals have died, while 94 others have been rescued from the floodwaters in the Kaziranga National Park as of Friday, an official said.
The animal mortality has risen from Thursday's toll of 31 and comprises three rhinos, 62 hog deer, and an otter due to drowning in the park, with 11 dying during treatment.
Forest officials rescued 85 hog deer, two sambar, two scops owls, and one each of a rhino calf, Indian hare, otter, elephant, and a jungle cat.
At present, 33 animals are under medical care, while 50 others have been released after treatment, the official said.
(With PTI inputs)
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