Assam floods kill 10 in a day, over 653,000 affected across 11 districts

Ten people died in the last 24 hours, taking this year's flood toll to 41, as inundation spread across 11 districts affecting over 653,000 people; IMD has issued an Orange Alert for heavy rainfall

Assam reeled under intense flood on Wednesday that hit 11 of its districts, affecting 653,000 people and killing 10 people in one day, with no respite in sight as the weather department warned of more rains over the next few days.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 10 people lost their lives in the deluge in 24 hours since Tuesday midnight. With these, the death toll in this year's floods has increased to 41. One person died in Guwahati earlier.

Sivasagar and Jorhat districts reported three deaths each, followed by two fatalities in Charaideo and one each in Karbi Anglong and Dhemaji, it stated.

 

The India Meteorological Department issued an 'Orange Alert' on Wednesday, asking people to be prepared for calamity, and a 'Yellow Alert' for the next four days as it predicted thunderstorms, lightning and heavy rains at isolated places.

The daily flood report of ASDMA said that more than 6,53,100 people have been affected in Sivasagar, Charaideo, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Hojai, Jorhat, Kamrup, Kamrup Metropolitan, Karbi Anglong, Nagaon districts.

Sivasagar is the worst-hit, with nearly 400,000 people affected. Charaideo has around 111,000 people affected by the deluge, while more than 97,000 people are reeling under flood in Jorhat.

Till Tuesday, nearly 565,000 people were affected by the flood in 12 districts.

According to the report, 939 villages are inundated, and 24,897.27 hectares of farmland has been damaged across Assam.

ASDMA said the state administration has been operating 487 shelters and relief distribution centres in 10 districts, taking care of 24,418 people.

The Army, NDRF, SDRF, Fire and Emergency Service, police and civil agencies have rescued more than 8,500 people from Charaideo, Golaghat, Jorhat, Karbi Anglong and Sivasagar, it added.

The Buridihing river in Khowang, the Dikhou river in Sivasagar, Dhansiri in Numaligarh and Kushiyara in Sribhumi are flowing above the danger level. In Nanglamuraghat, the Disang river is flowing above the highest flood level, ASDMA said.