Assam flood situation critical, 24.50 lakh people affected in 30 districts

Guwahati, Jul 6 (PTI) Assam's flood situation remained critical on Saturday with over 24.50 lakh people reeling under the deluge in 30 districts and major rivers flowing above the danger mark at several places, an official bulletin said.

The toll in this year's flood was 52 and 12 others lost their lives due to landslides and storms.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma held a meeting with officials late on Friday after returning from the severely affected Dibrugarh district and reviewed the flood situation in the state.

''After visiting flood-affected areas of Dibrugarh, we reviewed several matters, including Assam Arogya Nidhi-a health financial assistance scheme," the chief minister said.

Sarma also said he has specifically asked the officials to ''prioritise rarest of rare cases and applications from those who are not covered under any existing scheme''.

The chief minister said after interacting with the flood-hit people, he had sent messages to officials to address their problems.

"For us, proactive governance is the key to effective public service," he said.

On the supply of clean drinking water, he said while the flood has caused considerable damage across the state, the 'Jal Jeevan Mission' scheme has come out as a ''silver lining in these tough times''.

''The transformative water supply project is supplying clean drinking water in these tough times'', he said.

Cachar, Kamrup, Hailakandi, Hojai, Dhubri, Nagaon, Morigaon, Goalpara, Barpeta, Dibrugarh, Nalbari, Dhemaji, Bongaigaon, Lakhimpur, Jorhat, Sonitpur, Kokrajhar, Karimganj, South Salmara, Darrang and Tinsukia are among the districts affected by the flood.

The toll in this year's flood, landslides and storms was 64, according to the bulletin of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).

Dhubri with a population of 7,75,721, Darrang with 1,86,108, Cachar with 1,75,231, Barpeta with 1,39,399 and Morigaon with 1,46,045 are among the worst-hit districts, it said.

Altogether 47,103 affected people have taken shelter in 612 camps, while 4,18,614 inmates in non-relief camps have been provided with relief materials.

Flood in urban areas of three districts of Kamrup (Metropolitan), Kamrup and Dibrugarh was also reported.

Cabinet ministers are also camping in various flood-affected districts.

Sarma said he and his entire team are on the ground to ''assess the damage caused by the floods".

"We are working tirelessly to hear people's grievances and solve their issues," the chief minister said.

The Brahmaputra river is flowing above the danger mark at Nimatighat, Guwahati, Goalpara and Dhubri.

Its tributaries Burhi Dihing at Chenimari, Dikhou at Sivasagar, Disang at Nanglamuraghat, Dhansiri at Numaligarh, Jia Bharali at NT Road crossing, and Kopili at Kampur and Dharamtul are also flowing above the danger levels.

The Barak river is flowing above the danger mark at AP Ghat, BP Ghat, Chota Bakra and Fuletral, and its tributaries Dhaleswari at Gharmura, Katakhal at Matizuri and Kushiyara at Karimganj town.

Infrastructure damaged by the floods includes 225 roads and 10 bridges among others, the bulletin added. PTI