Ferry services halted in Assam as Brahmaputra rises

Ferry services connecting Assam's river island Majuli with the rest of the state were stopped on Thursday due to the rising water level of the Brahmaputra river, authorities said.

The water level of the river at Nematighat in Jorhat district was 1.14 cm above the danger mark, forcing the district administration to suspend the ferry services.

Floods have affected Ahotguri, Kamalabari, Solmara and Gormur areas of the island, authorities said, adding that erosion had also caused damage in Teteliguri and Ahotguri areas.

The floods have hit 13 districts and affected more than 200,000 people with the latest reports that more areas were being submerged by the surging water of the Brahmaputra and its tributaries across the state.

The Kamrup district administration has also suspended ferry services between Guwahati and north Guwahati after 6 p.m. from Thursday.

In Barpeta, the flood situation continues to be grim, forcing people to leave their houses and take shelter in relief camps. Flood waters have inundated large areas of paddy fields destroying the standing crops.

The situation has worsened in Lakhimpur district, where the Brahmaputra and its tributaries such as the Dikrong, Pabha and Kakoi, were flowing above the danger mark, officials said.

Large areas in Dhemaji district have also been inundated by the surging waters of the Jiyadhal river. Heavy rainfall in Arunachal Pradesh has led to the over flowing of Jiyadhal and Kumatiya rivers in the district.