Guwahati, Aug 29: The flood situation in Assam has taken a turn for the worse, affecting over 1.90 lakh people and claiming one life, according to official reports. Continuous rainfall in the higher regions has led to rising water levels in most rivers, many of which are now flowing above the danger mark across various parts of the state.
As a result of the escalating situation, ferry services on the Brahmaputra River have been suspended in Guwahati and Nematighat in Jorhat due to the surging water levels. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has reported one fatality in Demow, Sivasagar district, bringing the total death toll from this year’s floods to 15.
Currently, 17 districts are grappling with the deluge, affecting 1,90,675 individuals. The hardest-hit district is Lakhimpur, where 47,338 people have been affected, followed by Dhemaji with 40,997 impacted residents. Two relief camps are currently sheltering 427 people, while 45 relief distribution centers are operational.
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Local authorities and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are conducting rescue operations in various affected areas. Major rivers, including the Brahmaputra in Dibrugarh, Dhubri, Tezpur, and Nematighat in Jorhat, are flowing above the danger level. Additionally, the Beki, Jia-Bharali, Disang, Dikhou, and Subansiri rivers have also breached the red mark, as reported by the ASDMA bulletin.
The Inland Water Transport Department has announced the suspension of ferry services in Guwahati starting from Tuesday due to rising water levels in the Brahmaputra. Furthermore, ferry services between Nematighat and Majuli have been halted in response to incessant rainfall in higher altitudes, which has caused a surge in downstream river levels.
The ASDMA’s report indicates that 8,086.40 hectares of cropland are currently submerged, and 1,30,514 animals have been affected, including 81,340 large animals and 11,886 poultry. Floodwaters have breached embankments in two areas in Udalguri and one each in Biswanath and Darrang.
The flood has also caused damage to roads, bridges, power poles, schools, and other infrastructure. Erosion has been reported from multiple districts, including Barpeta, Biswanath, Dhubri, Lakhimpur, Morigaon, Nalbari, Sivasagar, Sonitpur, Tinsukia, and Udalguri, as per the ASDMA bulletin.
