Assam flood situation grim

A mahout died after he was attacked by a wild elephant in the flood waters this morning in the Kaziranga National Park, which has been completely inundated by the water of river Brahmaputra.

Two persons, including a one-year-old baby, were drowned in Goalpara district late last evening. In Cachar district, a teenager was drowned this morning, the sources said.

Around 11 lakh people in 2,084 villages in 22 districts are in the grip of the worst floods since 2004, the sources said.

Stating 173 relief camps have so far been set up for the succour of the flood victims, the sources said, the deluge has destroyed standing crops in over 43,400 hectares.

Congress President and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi is likely to visit the state soon to take stock of the latest flood situation.

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhubaneshwar Kalita, who met Gandhi at New Delhi yesterday, said he briefed Gandhi about the latest situation and she expressed the desire to visit the state soon. MORE