Assam Floods: Situation improves marginally; 17 lakhs, 28 districts affected

A villager carries bamboo through a flood-affected area after heavy rains in Nagaon district of Assam state. Pic/AFP

With water levels of major rivers showing a receding trend, the flood situation in Assam has improved though marginally, reported PTI on Wednesday. This has helped in reducing the affected population to 1.7 million across 26 districts, according to an official bulletin.

Seven deaths were reported on Tuesday. As per the PTI report, two were reported in Cachar and one each in Dhubri, Dhemaji, South Salmara, Nagaon and Sivasagar, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).

The death toll in this year's floods, landslides and storms increased to 92. Out of which, 79 people lost their lives to the deluge alone.

Large areas of land are still flooded according to reports from multiple districts due to intermittent rains, said PTI.

An area of 38,870.3 hectares of cropland was still inundated as against 49,014.06 hectares on Monday.

Among the worst-hit districts are Dhubri where 3,54,045 people are affected, followed by Cachar, Sivasagar, Barpeta and Golaghat where over 1 lakh people have been affected.

As per the PTI report, a total of 48,021 affected people have taken shelter in 507 relief camps while relief materials have been distributed to 104,665 others outside these camps.

Urban flooding was reported from two districts of Kamrup (Metropolitan), Dibrugarh and Karbi Anglong.

Kaziranga National Park has seen its worst floods in recent years with the death of 159 wild animals due to drowning or during rescue operations, while 133 others have been saved.

According to the PTI report, infrastructure damage includes 94 roads, three bridges, 26 houses, and six embankments. The Brahmaputra River remains above the danger level at Nimatighat, Tezpur, Guwahati, and Dhubri, while other rivers like Burhi Dihing, Dikhou, Disang, Kopili, and Kushiara are also flowing above their danger marks in various places.

Assam floods: Thousands homeless, 52 dead as victims plead for assistance

The severe flooding in Assam over the past month has resulted in 52 deaths, extensive damage to infrastructure, road closures, crop destruction, and significant livestock loss. The deluge has also left thousands homeless. Jubbar Ali, 39, lives on an embankment in Barpeta district with his two kids, wife, and ailing mother after their home was devastated by floods and river erosion, reported ANI.

According to the report, just a month ago, Jubbar and his family lived in a concrete house. However, the Brahmaputra River's flooding forced them to become homeless. Initially, they took safety in another villager's house, but it was also submerged. They now dwell in a makeshift tent on an embankment in Rowmari Pathar, which is part of the Chenga assembly seat in Barpeta district.

"Due to erosion, my house was completely destroyed a month ago. Now, my family and I are living in another villager's house. We have no home. I have two daughters, a mother, and a wife. The house we were staying in is also flooded, and we are now living under a makeshift tent at a relief camp," Jubbar Ali explained.

Jubbar Ali isn't alone. Around 100 households in the Rowmari Pathar area are experiencing similar issues, having lost their homes to Brahmaputra River erosion during the last 1-2 months, the report added.