Assam floods: 7 more dead, 1.2 million affected in 24 districts

With this, the toll in this year's flood related cases has gone up to 59, including 8 in Guwahati

The flood situation in Assam remained grim on Sunday as seven more deaths were reported and nearly 1.2 million people in 24 districts were affected by the deluge.

Two persons lost their lives in Sivasagar and one each at in Morigaon, Bongaigaon, South Salmara, Sonitpur and Jorhat districts in flood related incidents, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said

With this, the toll in this year's flood related cases has gone up to 59, including eight in Guwahati.

Nearly 1.2 million people are affected at present in Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Sonitpur, Darrang, Nalbari, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara, Morigaon, Nagaon, Karbi Anglong, Golaghat, Jorhat, Majuli, Sivasagar, Charaideo, Dibrugarh, Karimganj and Cachar districts, the ASDMA said.

Till Saturday, 1.5 million people were affected in the latest wave of flood across 25 districts in the state.

Meanwhile, Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the government has sufficient funds available for relief and rehabilitation of the victims across the state.

"We had provided relief money to the deputy commissioners before the floods this year and we can provide money as sought by them.

"Funds for flood relief were left unspent last year and Rs 300-400 crore is still lying in the state coffers, meant for this year's relief," he said.

Sarma also announced at a press conference that the Assam government, for the first time, will provide free textbooks to school students, whose books have been damaged in floods.

At the Kaziranga National Park, 93 anti-poaching camps or 52 per cent of the area is under water, leaving some animals dead and some moving to nearby highlands.

Some animals were killed by speeding vehicles on the National Highway 37, which passes through the Park.

ASDMA said 1,795 villages are under water at present and more than 66,500 hectares of crop areas are inundated.

The worst affected is South Salmara, where over 3.07 lakh people have been affected by the deluge, followed by Dhubri with more than 1.94 lakh people.

In Guwahati, also, water logging incidents have been reported, ASDMA said.

Authorities are running 279 relief camps and distribution centres in 16 districts, where 24,423 people are currently taking shelter.

The government has distributed 4,631.32 quintals of rice, 855.30 quintals of dal, 349.82 quintals of salt and 416.46 litres of mustard oil among the flood victims during the last 24 hours, ASDMA said.

Due to the impact of the flood waters, many roads, embankments and bridges have been damaged in many districts, including Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Dhubri, Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Barpeta, Morigaon, Nagaon, Karimganj and Chirang.

Currently, the Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger mark at four places — Nimatighat in Jorhat, Tezpur in Sonitpur, along with Goalpara and Dhubri towns.

Other rivers like Dhansiri at Numaligarh in Golaghat, Barak at Badarpurghat in Karimganj and Kushiyara at Karimganj town are flowing above the danger marks.