Assam floods: Over 1,700 villages affected in 18 districts, toll reaches 77

As many as 1,716 villages spread across 18 districts in Assam have been adversely affected due to floods caused by the rise in water levels of various rivers following heavy rainfall, the state's Disaster Management Authority said on Saturday.

The villages are located in the districts are -- Dhemaji, Sonitpur, Darrang, Baksa, Barpeta, Nalbari, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Goalpara, Kamrup, Kamrup (M), Morigaon, Nagaon, Golaghat, Jorhat and Cachar. These affected districts have hampered the normal lives of around 21.68 lakh people.

A person has lost his life due to the calamity in Barpeta in the last 24 hours, taking the total toll to 77.

Currently, there are 615 relief camps operational in Baksa, Nalbari, Barpeta, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Kamrup, Morigaon, Nagaon, Golaghat and Jorhat districts.

Additionally, 49 relief distribution centres are operational in the districts of Sonitpur, Barpeta, Kokrajhar, Kamrup and Morigaon.

Several rivers are flowing above the danger mark like the Brahmaputra at Neamatighat in Jorhat and Dhubri, Jia Bharali in Sonitpur district, Puthimari in Kamrup district and Beki and Kushiara rivers in Barpeta and Karimganj districts respectively.