Toll in Assam flood climbs to 74; 38.82 lakh people affected

The flood situation in Assam continue to remain grim on Wednesday, with the toll mounting to 74 following the death of six more people.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), flood waters have inundated vast swathes of 20 of all 33 districts in the state, affecting 38.82 lakh people.

"A total of 2,933 villages in 73 revenue circles of 20 districts, including Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Udalguri, Darrang, Baksa, Barpeta, Nalbari, Chirang, remain submerged, affecting 34, 82, 170 people," the disaster management authority said.

Of six fresh deaths, one person died each in Nalbari, Barpeta, Dhubri and Golaghat districts and three were killed in Morigaon district, it stated.

Currently, 826 relief camps are operational in the districts of Baksa, Nalbari, Barpeta, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Goalpara, Kamrup, Morigaon, Nagaon, Golaghat and Jorhat.

These camps have been sheltering more than two lakh affected people.

Altogether, 107 relief distribution centres have been set up in eleven districts of the state, the ASDMA officials said.

Water levels in rivers continue to flow at the 'danger level' in several parts in the state, including Brahmaputra at Neamatighat (Jorhat) and Dhubri, Jia Bharali at N T Road Xing (Sonitpur), Manas at NH Road. Xing (Barpeta) and Sonkosh at Golakganj (Dhubri), they added.