Guwahati, (Samajweekly) The flood situation in Assam has improved significantly but 2.42 lakh people in four of the state’s 33 districts were still affected, while one more person died on Friday, disaster management officials said.
Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) officials said that one person was reported dead in Morigaon district, taking the death toll in this year’s monsoon floods to 121.
According to the ASDMA officials, of the 2.42 lakh flood affected people in four districts, 1.79 lakh people were in central Assam’s Nagaon district alone.
In the ongoing third wave of flood, besides the low-lying areas, over 22,802 hectares of crop lands in 380 villages in the four districts — Nagaon, Hojai, Morigaon, Goalpara — have been inundated.
Around 46,000 domesticated animals as well as wild animals, including rhinos in sanctuaries and national parks, were also affected due to the flood, which also damaged many roads, bridges, embankments, government buildings and schools, they added.
The Brahmaputra was flowing above the danger level in Dhubri district and its tributary Kopili, crossed the danger mark in Nagaon district.
The ASDMA officials said that Assam, until early August, witnessed devastating floods that killed 121 people in 22 districts, while 26 others were killed in landslides since May 22. With a respite in monsoon rains, the situation significantly improved in the first week of August even as 57 lakh people were affected in 5,378 villages in 30 districts.
