Flood situation deteriorates in Assam, toll climbs to 18

Floods claimed another life in Assam, where the situation worsened today with over four lakh people being affected across 15 districts.
With this, the total number of deaths in this year's flood-related incidents has climbed to 18, including seven in Guwahati.
According to a report by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), one person identified as Suraj Chetri (22) drowned in the flood waters at Khumtai in Golaghat district.
Inland Water Transport director Bharat Bhushan Choudhury said ferry services on Brahmaputra in Guwahati have been suspended until further orders due to the rising water level and heavy current, as well as submerged logs and other materials in the river.

River Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger mark in Guwahati in Kamrup Metro district, at Nimatighat in Jorhat district, at Dhubri town in Dhubri district and Tezpur in Sonitpur district, the ASDMA said.
The deluge-hit districts are Lakhimpur, Jorhat, Golaghat, Sivasagar, Cachar, Dhemaji, Biswanath, Karimganj, Sonitpur, Hojai, Majuli, Barpeta, Chirang, Nagaon and Nalbari.

The worst-hit district is Karimganj where over two lakh people have been affected by the swirling waters followed by Lakhimpur with 80,000 sufferers, the report said.
Other rivers in spate and flowing above danger mark are Dikhow at Sivasagar town in Sivasagar district, Dhansiri at Numaligarh in Golaghat district, Jia Bharali at NT Road Crossing in Sonitpur district, Beki at Road Bridge in Barpeta district and Kushiyara at Karimganj town in Karimganj district, it said.

The report said over 20,000 hectares of crop land has been damaged and nearly 900 villages are under flood waters.
Authorities have set up 160 relief camps and distribution centres in eight districts, where 42,000 people are currently taking shelter.
The flood waters have also damaged infrastructures such as roads, embankments and bridges in Barpeta, Biswanath, Golaghat, Cachar, Karimganj, Morigaon, Baksa and Nalbari districts, the ASDMA report said.