Five Assam districts take brunt of floods

The flood situation in Assam remained grim in at least five districts Friday, as reports came in that more villages were being submerged with rising water levels in the Brahmaputra and several other rivers.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), a total of 8,000 people have been affected by floods in the past 24 hours.

The Central Water Commission (CWC) has indicated that the situation might deteriorate, as the rising river waters in the Brahmaputra, already flowing over the danger mark in some areas, still shows a rising trend.

No human casualty reported from anywhere the state so far, ASDMA officials said Friday.

At least 90 villages in the five districts have so far been affected. Twenty villages in Dhemaji district have been affected in the last 24 hours. Besides, villages in Golaghat (37 villages), Kamrup (four villages), Karimganj (19 villages) and 10 in Jorhat have so far been hit by the floodwaters, ASDMA officials said.

"Standing crops have been affected in about 900 hectares across the state since last few weeks," the ASDMA official said, adding that the floods have also affected over 5,000 head of animals and poultry farms.

The officials said that in many places, people have left their houses and taken shelter in higher places. They said district administrations have been providing relief material.

Officials at the CWC said the Brahmaputra was flowing over the danger mark in Nimatighat in Jorhat and in Dibrugarh, and the Jia Bharali river was flowing over the danger mark in Sonitpur district.

The floods have damaged six roads and a bridge in Golaghat district, the ASDMA official said, adding that embankments were breached at two places in Karimganj district.