Assam flood update: 87 dead, over 1.28 lakh people continue to face deluge

The death toll in this year’s floods in Assam has risen to 87 after two more people died, while nearly 1.3 lakh people remained affected even as floodwaters continued to recede from most inundated areas across the state, officials said on Tuesday.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), however, has forecast extremely heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms in Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya over the next few days, which could affect several Assam districts bordering the two states.

“The weather pattern suggests that thunderstorms with lightning and extremely heavy rainfall (orange and red warnings) are expected at most places of East Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills and East Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya and Papumpare, Kurung Kumey, East Kameng, East Siang, Lohit and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh. This may impact the neighbouring districts of Assam,” the weather office said.

The IMD has also issued a yellow warning (watch) for most parts of Nagaland, which could impact Assam’s Charaideo, Sivasagar, Jorhat and Golaghat districts, it added.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) bulletin issued on Monday night, two deaths were reported from Sivasagar district during the last 24 hours, taking this year’s flood death toll to 87.

“Although reports of overnight rain were received from most of the flood-hit Upper Assam districts, water levels continued to recede from the inundated villages, giving some respite to the villagers,” an ASDMA official said.

A total of 1,28,000 people remained affected across six districts. Sivasagar was the worst-hit district with more than 55,000 affected people, followed by Charaideo with nearly 35,000 and Jorhat with more than 20,000.

The ASDMA said the administration is operating 55 relief camps and relief distribution centres across five districts, where 11,250 affected people are currently taking shelter.

Medical and veterinary teams, along with multiple other agencies, have been deployed for flood relief operations in the affected areas.

The ASDMA said 14,230.15 hectares of crop area remained submerged. Due to widespread flooding, nearly 55,000 animals have been washed away, while another 35,000 have been affected.

The bulletin also reported damage to embankments, houses, roads, schools and other public infrastructure in several parts of the state.

At present, the Dhansiri river at Numaligarh is flowing above the danger level, the ASDMA added.